LaVoie?s 73 Leads to 24th-place tie at NCAA Golf Championships

OWINGS MILLS, Md. ? Gregg LaVoie didn't quite beat his brother's mark Saturday, but he did become just the fifth Oregon golfer to finish in the top 25 at the NCAA Championships over the last 30 years.

LaVoie shot a final round 73 and tied for 24th at 9-over 289 as the NCAA Men's Golf Championships concluded under ideal weather conditions at the par-70, 7,131-yard Caves Valley Golf Club.

His finish was the best by an Oregon golfer at the championship tournament since his brother Ryan tied for 23rd in 1999. The Pasco, Wash., native also became just the fifth Duck in the past 30 years to finish in the top 25 (see list below).

"I didn't putt quite as well as yesterday, so my score probably could have been a little lower," said LaVoie. "But I played consistent golf for the whole tournament and I'm pretty pleased with where I ended up.

"Just getting to the NCAA Championships is an honor in itself, and being in the top 25 the last two rounds was really exciting," said LaVoie, a junior. "This experience is really going to help me and our team going into my last year at Oregon."

Following three consecutive rounds of 72, LaVoie couldn't quite find the putting stroke that helped him make the cut on Friday. He had 14 pars, a birdie on No. 11, bogeys on the ninth and 17th holes and found his only real trouble of the day on the par-3 fourth, where he struggled with a double bogey.

"Gregg played four very solid rounds of golf," said Oregon coach Steve Nosler, "He competed like one of the top 25 players in the nation every day and he earned it. I'm really proud of the way Gregg represented the University of Oregon."

Georgia led from wire-to-wire to win its second NCAA championship. The Bulldogs, who also won in 1999, had a four round composite of 1135 following Saturday's 280. Georgia Tech was second at 1146, followed by Washington, with a 1153 for its best finish ever, and Brigham Young at 1154.

Washington's James Lepp fired the low round of the tournament, a 7-under 63 to finish at 4-under 276 and force a playoff with Pepperdine's Michael Putnam, who carded a 69 Saturday. Lepp then defeated Putnam on the third playoff hole to become the first Husky individual to win the NCAA title.

NCAA Championships

Caves Valley Golf Club

Owings Mills, Md.

Final Round

7,131 yards, par 70

(complete results available at www.golfstat.com)

OREGON INDIVIDUAL ? T24, Gregg LaVoie, 72-72-72-73-289.

OREGON INDIVIDUALS IN THE TOP 25 AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS, LAST 30 YEARS

Jeff Sanders, 3rd, 1976 (72-72-68-73-283)

George Daves, T8th, 1986 (71-71-75-71-288)

Ryan LaVoie, T23rd, 1999 (71-78-75-76-300)

Jon Haselwood, T23rd, 1978 (76-66-77-69-288)