Sebastian Cappelan (left) and Ethan Tracy (right) were part of an Arkansas golf team that finished sixth at the Southeastern Conference Tournament. PHOTO: Gareth Patterson.

Two years after a miracle shot from Texas A&M took the NCAA championship away from the Arkansas men’s golf team, the Razorbacks are prepared to take another swing at the title.

No. 15 Arkansas has won four tournaments this season and is preparing for NCAA Regionals, beginning May 19.

“We have a great team and we have had a good year,” Arkansas coach Brad McMakin said. “Our players are confident that we will be successful at the next stage.”

The Razorbacks finished sixth in the Southeastern Conference tournament, a finish that didn’t meet their expectations.

“I think the team expected better because we are better than that,” freshman Sebastian Cappelen said. “I had a feeling before the tournament that we should finish in the top three, but it just didn’t happen.”

Cappelen is playing well in his first year of collegiate golf, finishing in the top 10 in four of his last five tournaments.  He leads the team with a 71.24 scoring average in 29 rounds played.  He has shot par or better in six of those 29 rounds.

The team has moved on from losing the national championship on the final hole two years ago.

“We have let that go and hopefully this year we will be the team that makes that shot,” McMakin said.

The players remember watching the shot and losing on the last hole.

“I was a freshman at the time and that experienced helped a lot,” junior Ethan Tracy said. “It was a great shot from that deep in the rough and he deserves the credit.”

The Razorbacks will have to perform better in the regionals than they did at the SEC Championships.

“We try to improve on anything we need and that mainly includes short game,” Tracy said.

Tracy is second on the team with a scoring average of 72.10.  He has shot par or better five times out of 29 rounds this season.

Despite room for improvement, the Razorbacks know that they have another shot at NCAA title.

“We have some really good players on the team and I feel we have a great shot at it,” Cappelen said.

The Razorbacks have a month before the NCAA Regionals.

“We have to improve on a few weaknesses that we have,” McMakin said. “We haven’t chipped or putted very well and if we can improve on those things we will be in good shape.”

If Arkansas advances from their regional, the Razorbacks will head to Oklahoma for the NCAA Championships.

“The NCAA tournament is played on Oklahoma State’s golf course this year and it is very similar to the one we have here,” McMakin said.  “We feel like we will be very prepared and have a great chance on that golf course and with the way it is set up, if you make it to the NCAA championship anybody has a chance to win.”

The NCAA Regionals are followed by the championship rounds May 31-June 5.