University of Oregon
NCAA Regional
No. 1 Oregon Cruises to NCAA Regional Title
05/22/10 | Men's Golf
SANTEE, Calif. -- After an uncharacteristic sixth-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships three weeks ago, the University of Oregon men's golf team validated its top-seed status and No. 1 national ranking by running away from the field at the NCAA Southwest Regional tourney. The Ducks claimed their first-ever regional championship, shooting 2-under 286 in the final round to finish at 6-over 870, ten strokes clear of runner up Augusta State.
"I'm so proud of this team," said fourth-year head coach Casey Martin. "To win by that kind of margin against this field is just incredible."
Oregon advances to the 2010 NCAA Men's Golf Championships for the third straight year, thanks to a great team performance highlighted by a pair of top 3 efforts from Daniel Miernicki and Isaiah Telles.
Miernicki, who hails from Santee, shot 2-under 214, closing with a 73 to finish one shot behind medalist Nick Delio of Cal State Northridge, while Telles fired a 5-under 67 in Round 3, climbing into a tie for third at 1-under 215.
"Isaiah probably had his best round as a Duck," the reigning Pac-10 coach of the year said. "This course was set up tougher than any I've seen since becoming coach and he shot 67."
Jack Dukeminier tied for 14th at 5-over 221 and Andrew Vijarro tied for 21st at 7-over 223.
Emphasizing the strength of Martin's charges this season, Pac-10 co-Golfer of the Year Eugene Wong, Oregon's No. 1, was fifth on the squad at 9-over 225, after a 78 on Saturday.
"All of the guys have stepped up at different times this year," Martin said. "We play in the best conference in the country and that is great preparation for the postseason."
The NCAA Championships
will have plenty of Pac-10 flavor as eight member teams qualified for
national tournament June 1-6 at The Honors Course in Chattanooga, Tenn.
NOTES: UO's previous best regional finish was 2nd, accomplished in 2008 and '09 ... Oregon is making its third straight trip to the NCAA Championships, a feat reached only one other time when the Ducks went four consecutive times from 1975-78 ... Miernicki's runner-up finish was the second-best in school history at an NCAA Regional. Joey Benedetti placed first in 2008.
Players Mentioned
