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Brad McMakin
Head Coach

#RAZORFACTS• Seven NCAA Championship team appearances and two individuals at Arkansas
• 2009 NCAA runner-up
• 2019 SEC Champion, 2021 SEC runner-up
• 2009 SEC Coach of the Year
• Five-time NCAA Regional Runner-Up (2009, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2021)
• Two SEC Individual Champions (Sebastian Cappelen in 2013 and Segundo Oliva Pinto in 2021)
• Advanced to 13 consecutive NCAA Regionals played at Arkansas and 19 of the last 20 as a head coach
• Has led the Razorbacks to 28 tournament title wins with 22 individual medalist
• 24 All-America honors
• 28 All-Region honors
• 18 All-SEC selections and nine SEC All-Freshmen team honorees
• 82 Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll honorees and 28 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll winners

Head coach Brad McMakin has the Arkansas Razorbacks in a position to contend for a national title year-in and year-out by cultivating a team culture that has resulted in record-breaking performances on the course and in the classroom.

A highly successful coach prior to joining the Razorbacks, McMakin turned around the Arkansas program in just two years and took the team to new heights in the spring of 2009 when he led them to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships. In his 15 seasons as the head coach, McMakin’s teams have been to 13 NCAA Regionals (Note: 2020 NCAA postseason was canceled due to COVID-19) and seven NCAA Championships, while winning 28 team titles along the way, including the 2019 SEC Championship.

While his teams have shown an ability to rise to the best competition, it is McMakin’s ability to recruit and develop top-notch talent that makes him successful. Since his arrival, Arkansas has had 18 All-SEC selections, nine SEC All-Freshman selections, 18 All-American honors and 28 All-Region picks while four Razorbacks have played in six Arnold Palmer Cups.

Arkansas’ success on the course is boosted by a foundation of success in the classroom. McMakin’s 14 teams have combined to land 82 student-athletes on the Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll (3.0+ GPA) and 28 on the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll. On four occasions, two of his players were named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year including Austin Cook (2012 and 2103) and Mason Overstreet (2019 and 2020) – both of whom earned Academic All-America honors.

Individually, McMakin was named the SEC Coach of the Year in 2009 and was a finalist for the Dave Williams National Coach of the Year award in 2011.

Nine of the top 11 season scoring averages have come under McMakin’s tutelage, including #1 Julian Perico and #2 William Buhl in 2019-20. Also, each of the team’s top 11 season scoring averages has come during McMakin’s tenure, including a school-record 284.4 in 2019-20. Individually in 2019-20, Buhl was voted honorable mention All-America and second team All-SEC while Perico was tabbed All-Region for the second straight year and first team All-SEC.

McMakin brought in the No. 1 freshman class in the country for the 2016-17 season and quickly saw the dividends on the course. The young squad captured two tournament titles and Mason Overstreet went on a run for the ages during postseason play in his inaugural year. Overstreet became the first rookie in Razorback history to finish even par at the SEC Championship and he followed that up with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional to qualify as an individual for the National Championship.

The Kingfisher, Oklahoma, native never backed down on the national stage, posting rounds of 70-68-72-71 – 281 (-7) to finish as national runner-up and record the best Razorback finish in 54 years. He earned All-American honors and became the second player in school history to finish inside the top five at the National Championship, joining R.H. Sikes who won the program’s only National Title in 1963.

Three players from that aforementioned 2016-17 class (Overstreet, Willam Buhl and Luis Garza) – along with 2018 transfer Tyson Reeder and 2019 freshman Julian Perico – won the 2019 SEC Championship, the program’s first conference title since 1995. Perico was named to the SEC All-Freshman team, Ping All-Region and advanced to the NCAA Championship.

The following year, COVID-19 shut down the season in mid-spring to force the cancellation of the SEC Championship, NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships. The outstanding play was still rewarded as Buhl was named All-Ameican and Perico claimed first team All-SEC and his second All-Central Region honor.

However, in 2021, that core group, with two new additions, was SEC runner-up, NCAA Kingston Springs Regional runner-up and placed 11th at the NCAA Championship. The two new faces made strong contributions as Segundo Oliva Pinto was SEC Champion and Manuel Lozada was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. Perico repeated on the All-SEC, secured his third All-Region honor, was named honorable mention Al-Americs and represented Team INternational at the 2021 Arnold Palmer Cup. Reeder added his first career All-Region honor.

The current and future success of Arkansas golf was built, in part, by McMakin’s third team with the Razorbacks. Arkansas’ 2008-09 season was certainly one for the record books as it shocked some of the best programs in the nation on its way to NCAA runner-up honors. Finishing outside the top five in just one of 13 tournaments that season, the Razorbacks put together an impressive spring that featured five straight second-place finishes, which included the SEC, NCAA Regional and NCAA Championships. The Hogs defeated Washington (3 & 2) and Georgia (3-1-1) in match play, before eventually falling on the final hole of the championship match to Texas A&M to finish runner-up. Arkansas’ impressive spring earned McMakin SEC Coach of the Year honors, making him the first Razorback mentor to take the distinction.

The Razorbacks enjoyed one of their most successful seasons in school history in 2011-12 when McMakin led Arkansas to a school-record seven team victories in 10 regular-season tournaments. His squad also posted one of Arkansas’ best team stroke averages and had three players named All-SEC, two All-Region and a pair of All-Americans.

McMakin has produced five PGA Tour members Austin Cook, Andrew Landry, David Lingmerth, Ethan Tracy and Sebastian Cappelen. Also, Nicolas Echavarria and Taylor Moore are competing on the Korn Ferry Tour. Alvaro Ortiz won the 2019 Latin America Amateur to qualify and eventually finished as silver medalist (runner-up) for low amateur at 2019 The Masters. Buhl also claimed a national title, winning the 2019 Canadian Amateur which earned him a spot in the PGA’s RBC Canadian Open.

All-Americans Lingmerth and Landry, the tandem that paced Arkansas to the 2009 NCAA runner-up finish, as well as Cook have all won on the PGA Tour. Lingmeth additionally represented his native Sweden in the 2016 Olympics.

Lingmerth, who earned a second All-American honor in 2010, was the first Arkansas player to play in the prestigious Palmer Cup before earning his way on to the PGA Tour. Cappelen, a four-time All-American, played on the Palmer Cup three times and All-American Ortiz once.

Landry, a three-time All-American, won the 2018 Valero Texas Open, won the 2020 American Express and was in the final pairing at the 2016 U.S. Open with eventual champion Dustin Johnson. Lingmerth, winner of the 2015 Memorial, was 12th at the 2016 U.S. Open.

Before his move to Fayetteville, McMakin was the head coach at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he spent a decade. In 2006, he led the Cardinals to a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships and won an NCAA-best seven tournaments in 13 events in 2006, placing two golfers among the top 10 individual finishers at the NCAA Championships.

After arriving at Lamar, McMakin revitalized the program, returning it to the top of the Southland Conference (SLC) and back onto the national scene. In his 10-year stint at Lamar, McMakin won four SLC titles, made six consecutive NCAA Central Regional appearances and, in 2006, earned Lamar its first trip to the NCAA Championships in 20 years. In McMakin’s final six seasons at Lamar, the Cardinals had three players earn All-America honors, three golfers capture SLC individual medalist honors, 21 All-Conference performers, an SLC Newcomer of the Year, three SLC Freshman of the Year winners and the conference’s only four-time Player of the Year.

A native of Beaumont, Texas, McMakin was named the Eaton/Golf Pride South Central Region Coach of the Year in 2006 after leading his squad to the NCAA Championships and a fifth-place showing at the NCAA Central Regional. The Cardinals captured their 20th Southland Conference championship and placed all five players on the all-conference team. McMakin was tabbed as the SLC Coach of the Year five times (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006) in his 10-year run at Lamar.

Prior to accepting the head coaching job at Lamar, McMakin spent four years as a professional golfer, competing on several mini tours as well as playing on the Nike and Hooters Tours.

Originally signing with Lamar out of high school, McMakin transferred to Oklahoma when former LU coach Greg Grost accepted the Oklahoma men’s golf job. It proved to be a wise move for McMakin as he would help the Sooners win a national championship during the 1989 season. McMakin, a co-captain of that squad, served in the same capacity the following year as Oklahoma finished fifth at the NCAA Championships.

McMakin was also a standout golfer on the Kelly High School golf team. He was a regular in the TCIL state tournament and earned medalist honors four times. While at Kelly, McMakin played for former Lamar coach Charles Rodemacher.

McMakin earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Oklahoma in 1991. He and his wife, Tonia, have one son, Matthew.

Barrett Lais
Associate Head Coach

A vital piece of head coach Brad McMakin’s success and having the Arkansas men’s golf team be a national contender year-in and year-out, Barrett Lais is in his 12th season on the Razorback staff at his alma mater. Prior to the 2020-21 season, Lais was promoted to associate head coach.

One of the top assistants in college golf, Lais returned to Arkansas in 2010 following a two-year stint as an assistant coach at the University of Denver. During his 11 years on staff at Arkansas, the Razorbacks have won 23 team titles – including the 2019 SEC Championship and participated in each of the 10 NCAA Regionals contested while advancing to six NCAA Championships.

Along with his on-course responsibilities, Lais handles travel, recruiting and player development. Arkansas has had 18 All-SEC selections and 13 All-Americans during Lais’ 11 years. In his tenure, Arkansas has produced the six lowest individual season scoring averages – including #1 Julian Perico and #2 William Buhl in 2019-20 – and the top four team season scoring averages, including a school-record average of 284.40 in 2019-20.

Lais and McMakin went the rookie route in 2016-17, bringing in the No. 1 freshman class in the country and quickly saw the dividends on the course. The young squad captured two tournament titles and Mason Overstreet went on a run for the ages during postseason play in his inaugural year. Overstreet became the first rookie in Razorback history to finish even par at the SEC Championship and he followed that up with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional to qualify as an individual for the National Championship.

The Kingfisher, Oklahoma, native never backed down on the national stage, posting rounds of 70-68-72-71 – 281 (-7) to finish as national runner-up and record the best Razorback finish in 54 years. He earned All-American honors and became the second player in school history to finish inside the top five at the National Championship, joining R.H. Sikes who won the program’s only National Title in 1963.

Three players from that aforementioned 2016-17 class (Overstreet, William Buhl and Luis Garza) – along with a 2018 transfer (Tyson Reeder) and 2019 freshman Julian Perico – won the 2019 SEC Championship, the program’s first conference title since 1995. Perico was named to the SEC All-Freshman team, Ping All-Region and advanced to the NCAA Championship.

The following year, COVID-19 shut down the season in mid-spring to force the cancellation of the SEC Championship, NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships. The outstanding play was still rewarded as Buhl was named All-American and Perico claimed first team All-SEC and his second All-Central Region honor. However, in 2021, that core group, with two new additions, was SEC runner-up, NCAA Kingston Springs Regional runner-up and placed 11th at the NCAA Championship. The two new faces made strong contributions as Segundo Oliva Pinto was SEC Champion and Manuel Lozada was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. Perico repeated on the All-SEC and secured his third All-Region honor while Reeder added his first career All-Region honor.

Two players Lais help develop early in his career were four-time All-American Sebastian Cappelen and two-time All-American Taylor Moore. Cappelen, who earned his PGA card for the 2020 season, won the first professional event he ever qualified for – the 2014 Air Capital Classic on the then Web.com Tour, while Moore won his fifth start on PGA Tour Canada at the 2016 Staal Foundation Open and earned an exemption to make his debut on the PGA Tour the following week at the 2016 RBC Canadian Open.

Lais’ time as an assistant coach at Arkansas has not only paid dividends on the course but also in the classroom. Arkansas has had no less than four players on the SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll during each of the last 11 years (65 total honors) while also placing 22 student-athletes on the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll during that span. Cook and Overstreet were both named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year twice and both earned Academic All-America honors.

From 2008-10, Lais helped guide the Denver program to 11 top-five tournament finishes as well as an NCAA Regional appearance in 2009. He coached senior Espen Kofstad to the NCAA Championships as an individual, while Kofstad’s play also earned him PING All-Region honorable mention honors. Kofstad and Daniel Wax each earned Summit League All-Conference recognition and All-Region honors in 2009.

Along with his prowess as a recruiter, Lais also has a bachelor’s degree as a certified golfing machine authorized instructor and has instructed players on the PGA Tour, Web.com Tour and European Tour.

As a player for the Razorbacks, Lais participated in 15 tournaments over four years and 45 rounds, producing a 75.6 stroke average. He placed 11th at the Gopher Invitational in 2007 and had a career-low round of 68 at the Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic, also in 2007. As a senior in 2007-08 he played in a career-high six tournaments and 18 rounds with a 75.0 stroke average. He was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll four times and was named to several University of Arkansas academic award lists. In addition to the time spent on the course and in the classroom, Lais also participated in the First Tee program and served as a golf camp instructor.

Lais is married to Jessica (LaMar), who also graduated from Arkansas. They are parents to Sawyer, Evelyn and the late Hudson LaMar. The Lais family is active with Make-A-Wish Mid-South and the family’s #StrongLIkeHudson Foundation makes it possible each year to make a child’s wish come true.

Kelly Nielsen
Director of Operations

Kelly Nielsen joined the University of Arkansas golf program in January 2019 as the Razorbacks’ first Director of Golf Operations.

Nielsen is responsible for day-to-day operations with the Razorbacks’ nationally competitive women’s and men’s golf teams. Her duties include assisting with travel, scheduling, academic progress, community service and administrative assistance.

Nielsen first joined the Razorbacks in May of 2018 as a graduate assistant for the athletics department administration. In this role, she coordinated new employee on-boarding, developed staff and faculty events, assisted with an audit of internal brand signage and procurement.

Prior to joining the Razorbacks, Nielsen was a student and an intern in the marketing department at Kent State University. She graduated with a bachelor of science in sport administration in May 2018. Nielsen was a member of the Kent State golf team along with her twin sister Kasey and her younger sister, Kory.

Nielsen is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Recreation and Sport Management at Arkansas. Nielsen comes from an athletic family as she and her sisters followed in her mother, Sharon’s footsteps. Sharon was a collegiate golfer at Northern Illinois. Father Joel played football at Minnesota State and is currently the Director of Athletics at Kent State.