Sunday, April 8
Santa Cruz, CA
TBD
University of Oregon
vs
Western Intercollegiate
Photo by: Greg Harris/San Jose State Athletic Media Relations
Xiong Keeps Spectacular Run Going with Third Straight Win
04/08/18 | Men's Golf
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – Norman Xiong continued his unprecedented run of stellar play by winning his third consecutive tournament with a victory at the Western Intercollegiate Sunday at Pasatiempo Golf Club. He won with a birdie on the third playoff hole after sticking his approach at the par-4 first hole to within a foot of the hole to top Cal's Collin Morikawa and Arizona's George Cunningham and claim medalist honors.
"He carried us again," said head coach Casey Martin of Xiong's play. "He is such a talent and he is on a roll."
Oregon as a team finished tied for sixth at 8-over par after finishing round two, which was suspended by darkness Saturday, at 5 over before shooting even par in the final round.
How it Happened – Round Two: Xiong turned in a bogey-free opening nine, making four birdies to shoot a 4-under 31. He birdied holes 13 and 15 to reach 6 under for the round but gave a shot back with a bogey on the par-4 16th to finish with a 5-under 65.
Edwin Yi had an up-and-down front nine, opening with a birdie but dropping a couple of shots with a double bogey at the third hole. He shot a 1-over 36 going out before shooting a 1-under 34 coming in, closing with a birdie at the par-3 18th to get to even par for the round.
Ryan Gronlund shot a 2-over 72 while Thomas Mulligan turned in a second round of 3-over 73. Donald Kay finished with a 5-over 75, closing strong with back-to-back birdies and Kevin Geniza shot a 7-over 77.
Round Three: Xiong came out firing, making birdie on the first two holes to take the lead at 9 under for the tournament. He dropped a shot at the third hole but birdied six and seven before an eagle at the par-5 ninth gave him a four-shot lead at 12-under for the weekend. Xiong held a one-shot lead heading to the par-3 18th hole but made bogey there to set up the three-way playoff with Cunningham and Morikawa for medalist honors.
Both Xiong and Morikawa made par on the par-4 first hole to begin the playoff while Cunningham was eliminated after a bogey. The two players parred the second playoff hole - the par-5 ninth - before Xiong secured the win on the third extra hole.
Mulligan shot a career-low of 3-under 67 to finish tied for 50th at 7 over for the tournament. The freshman double bogeyed the par-3 third hole, his second hole of the final round, but went mistake-free the rest of the round while making five birdies.
Kay joined Mulligan under par, turning in a 1-under 69 in the final round. He birdied two of his first five holes and reached 3 under on his round through 11 holes but gave two shots back with bogeys on 16 and 17 to finish tied for 58th.
Yi shot a 3-over 73 to end the weekend at 1 under and tied for 16th in his best showing of the spring. Gronlund turned in a 4-over 74 to finish tied for 41st while Geniza shot a 74 to come in tied for 83rd.
Quotable: Sophomore Norman Xiong
On his winning streak…
"I think I figured out golf is starting to become a mental game at this level, because we can all hit it, we can all putt it, we can all chip it. But, if you have the right mental game, you can feel comfortable which I did these past couple of weeks. You can really get it done out here."
On the keys to his win…
"Staying patient for sure. Because of the rain delay, it made the greens kind of bumpy. They weren't the smoothest. The course played 'getable,' but you had to be patient on the greens. Staying patient on the greens and realizing they were soft, you could score out here."
Ducks on the Leaderboard:
T6. Oregon – 353-355-350 – 1,058 (+8)
T1. Norman Xiong – 68-65-67 - 200 (-10)*
T16. Edwin Yi – 66-70-73 - 209 (-1)
T41. Ryan Gronlund – 69-72-74 - 215 (+5)
T50. Thomas Mulligan – 77-73-67 - 217 (+7)
T58. Donald Kay – 75-75-69 - 219 (+9)
T83. Kevin Geniza – 75-77-74 - 226 (+16)
*Won on third playoff hole
Notable: Xiong now holds the career-record for wins at Oregon with his sixth … He also extended his single-season wins record, claiming medalist honors for the fifth time … Xiong is also the first to win three straight tournaments at Oregon … He has won half the tournaments he has played in this season and has been the Ducks' highest finisher in seven of the 10 events … Xiong has also shot in the 60s in seven consecutive rounds and has shot under par in 20 of his 27 rounds this season … Yi finished a tournament under par for the first time since the Amer Ari Invitational in February … Mulligan recorded his first career round in the 60s.
Up Next: The Ducks will have a couple of weeks off to prepare for the start of postseason play at the Pac-12 Championships Apr. 23-25 at Rolling Hills Country Club in Los Angeles.
"He carried us again," said head coach Casey Martin of Xiong's play. "He is such a talent and he is on a roll."
Oregon as a team finished tied for sixth at 8-over par after finishing round two, which was suspended by darkness Saturday, at 5 over before shooting even par in the final round.
How it Happened – Round Two: Xiong turned in a bogey-free opening nine, making four birdies to shoot a 4-under 31. He birdied holes 13 and 15 to reach 6 under for the round but gave a shot back with a bogey on the par-4 16th to finish with a 5-under 65.
Edwin Yi had an up-and-down front nine, opening with a birdie but dropping a couple of shots with a double bogey at the third hole. He shot a 1-over 36 going out before shooting a 1-under 34 coming in, closing with a birdie at the par-3 18th to get to even par for the round.
Ryan Gronlund shot a 2-over 72 while Thomas Mulligan turned in a second round of 3-over 73. Donald Kay finished with a 5-over 75, closing strong with back-to-back birdies and Kevin Geniza shot a 7-over 77.
Round Three: Xiong came out firing, making birdie on the first two holes to take the lead at 9 under for the tournament. He dropped a shot at the third hole but birdied six and seven before an eagle at the par-5 ninth gave him a four-shot lead at 12-under for the weekend. Xiong held a one-shot lead heading to the par-3 18th hole but made bogey there to set up the three-way playoff with Cunningham and Morikawa for medalist honors.
Both Xiong and Morikawa made par on the par-4 first hole to begin the playoff while Cunningham was eliminated after a bogey. The two players parred the second playoff hole - the par-5 ninth - before Xiong secured the win on the third extra hole.
Mulligan shot a career-low of 3-under 67 to finish tied for 50th at 7 over for the tournament. The freshman double bogeyed the par-3 third hole, his second hole of the final round, but went mistake-free the rest of the round while making five birdies.
Kay joined Mulligan under par, turning in a 1-under 69 in the final round. He birdied two of his first five holes and reached 3 under on his round through 11 holes but gave two shots back with bogeys on 16 and 17 to finish tied for 58th.
Yi shot a 3-over 73 to end the weekend at 1 under and tied for 16th in his best showing of the spring. Gronlund turned in a 4-over 74 to finish tied for 41st while Geniza shot a 74 to come in tied for 83rd.
Quotable: Sophomore Norman Xiong
On his winning streak…
"I think I figured out golf is starting to become a mental game at this level, because we can all hit it, we can all putt it, we can all chip it. But, if you have the right mental game, you can feel comfortable which I did these past couple of weeks. You can really get it done out here."
On the keys to his win…
"Staying patient for sure. Because of the rain delay, it made the greens kind of bumpy. They weren't the smoothest. The course played 'getable,' but you had to be patient on the greens. Staying patient on the greens and realizing they were soft, you could score out here."
Ducks on the Leaderboard:
T6. Oregon – 353-355-350 – 1,058 (+8)
T1. Norman Xiong – 68-65-67 - 200 (-10)*
T16. Edwin Yi – 66-70-73 - 209 (-1)
T41. Ryan Gronlund – 69-72-74 - 215 (+5)
T50. Thomas Mulligan – 77-73-67 - 217 (+7)
T58. Donald Kay – 75-75-69 - 219 (+9)
T83. Kevin Geniza – 75-77-74 - 226 (+16)
*Won on third playoff hole
Notable: Xiong now holds the career-record for wins at Oregon with his sixth … He also extended his single-season wins record, claiming medalist honors for the fifth time … Xiong is also the first to win three straight tournaments at Oregon … He has won half the tournaments he has played in this season and has been the Ducks' highest finisher in seven of the 10 events … Xiong has also shot in the 60s in seven consecutive rounds and has shot under par in 20 of his 27 rounds this season … Yi finished a tournament under par for the first time since the Amer Ari Invitational in February … Mulligan recorded his first career round in the 60s.
Up Next: The Ducks will have a couple of weeks off to prepare for the start of postseason play at the Pac-12 Championships Apr. 23-25 at Rolling Hills Country Club in Los Angeles.
Players Mentioned
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