University of Oregon
Oklahoma State
Third-Place NCAA Finish Best Ever for Oregon
06/05/10 | Men's Golf
* Click HERE to see a photo gallery of action pix.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- The University of Oregon's historic run came to an end Saturday on The Honors Course as the top-ranked Ducks bowed out against Oklahoma State in the semifinals of the NCAA Men's Golf Championships.
The Cowboys, seeded No. 1 in the match play portion of the championships, defeated the fifth-seeded Ducks, 3-1-1, to set up Sunday's title match against Augusta State.
Despite the loss, Oregon secured the program's top season in school history with a tie for third place at the national tournament.
Jack Dukeminier rounded out his outstanding postseason effort by winning his match over OSU's Sean Einhaus, 4-and-3 (i.e. up by four holes with three to play). The junior from Eugene, who also won his quarterfinal match on Friday against the University of Washington, never trailed and was 2-up or better from the fifth hole on.
Andrew Vijarro, who had one of UO's three victories against the Huskies to advance to the Final Four, played all square with OSU's top man, junior Kevin Tway. The sophomore from Bend trailed most of the way, but rallied back from 4-down on the 10th to take a 1-up lead with a par on the par-3 16th. Vijarro's bogey at the par-4 17th brought the pairing even once more and they walked off No. 18 after dueling pars.
Isaiah Telles (Tualatin, Ore.) ran into a red-hot Trent Whitekiller, who took their match 5-and-4. Telles had four birdies over the 14 holes played, but Whitekiller was under par on half of the holes, carding six birdies and an eagle.
Oregon's top two, Eugene Wong and Daniel Miernicki, each went down 3-and-2. A day after lifting the Ducks into the semis with a clutch par on 18, Wong managed only two birdies in his match against Morgan Hoffmann. The Cowboy golfer turned the match in his favor with back-to-back birdies at Nos. 9 and 10, taking a 2-up lead that he would not relinquish.
Wong still had an eventful week, capping his incredible sophomore campaign with first-team PING All-America honors and a tie for ninth in the NCAA individual championship. The Pac-10's co-Golfer of the Year from North Vancouver, B.C. leads head coach Casey Martin's entire roster back for next season.
Miernicki fell behind Peter Uihlein early and couldn't climb back after going 2-down after a bogey at the par-4 12th.
Miernicki may not have had the NCAA experience that was anticipated, finishing as UO's high man in individual play, but the Santee, Calif. product pulled more than his share of the weight to get the team to Chattanooga. The sophomore was the Ducks' top finisher at the Pac-10 Championships and the runner-up at the NCAA Southwest Regional won by Oregon.
All told, UO won four regular season tournaments and its first ever NCAA regional in 2009-10. Wong's ninth-place NCAA individual finish is believed to be the highest in school history, while the team's tie for third is most definitely the program's top result.
QUOTES
Oregon Head Coach Casey Martin
On the overall match:
"They got off to an incredible start, and we were not able to overcome that. It is hard to beat the world ranked number one player in Morgan Hoffman. They are load. We knew that we would have to play great, and we didn't so, we got beat."
On the past season:
"It has been a magical season for the Ducks. It has been awesome. Just with five victories and finishing third in the tournament, winning the Western Regional. We had a terrific year. Also with the individual accomplishments with Daniel (Miernicki) and Eugene (Wong), it has been a great, fun year. Hopefully, it hasn't been the last of this kind. We return everyone next year. We just need to keep recruiting, bring guys in and scrap for it."
On the key moment of the match:
"I would say the first couple of holes with Oklahoma State. They chipped in three times in the first two holes. They weren't just off the fringe; they were pretty hefty chips. When you get down to guys like that it is that much hard to get back, and we didn't make enough birdies to comeback."
Oregon Junior Jack Dukeminier
On winning his match:
"I played good. Obviously, it is a little bittersweet. I would have taken a loss if we would have been able to advance, but I played solid."
On making it to the semifinals:
"It is disappointing (not to advance). It is also encouraging. It just goes to show that we can play with the best of them."
On the play of Oklahoma State:
"When they play good, they are pretty darn unbeatable."
Players Mentioned
