Wednesday, May 18
Stockton, CA
TBD
University of Oregon
vs
NCAA Stockton Regional
Photo by: Georgia Kovich-Lee/Next Level Sports Photography
Strong Finish Sends Ducks To NCAA Championships
05/18/22 | Men's Golf
STOCKTON, Calif. – Oregon secured a spot in the NCAA Championships behind some clutch play down the stretch in the final round of the Stockton Regional Wednesday to finish in fourth place at 21 under.
A day after vaulting back into the top five with a historic round, the Ducks got off to another fast start in round three before struggling a bit in the middle portions of the round. UO fell out of the top five for parts of the day Wednesday but battled back down the stretch, going 6 under over the final three holes to move safely inside the top five.
"What a relief," said head coach Casey Martin. "The guys battled through a lot today and I am so proud of them, and so happy that they will get to go compete for a national championship."
The Ducks will head back to the NCAA Championships, which begin May 27 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Arizona, for the 31st time in school history and the first time since 2018.
How It Happened: Gregory Solhaug turned in the round of the day for UO, firing a 4-under 68. Solhaug got his round off to a fast start, opening with a birdie before adding another at the fourth hole to get to 2 under. He then closed the opening nine with three birdies in a four-hole stretch to shoot a 5-under 31 going out. Back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12 would cool him off a bit, but Solhaug got one shot back with a birdie at the par-5 16th before closing with a pair of pars to shoot 68.
Two other Ducks joined Solhaug in shooting under par rounds, as Owen Avrit and Greyson Leach both fired 1-under 71s. Avrit was 3 over at the turn but came storming back with four birdies on a bogey-free back nine to get back into red figures. He made three birdies in his final four holes, including two huge birdies on 17 and 18 to help extend the Ducks' advantage over the teams chasing them for top five spots.
Leach went bogey-free with a pair of birdies through seven holes before giving one back at the par-3 eighth, shooting 1 under going out. The freshman shot even par on the back nine to finish 1 under and tied for 17th in his first NCAA postseason action.
Yuki Moriyama also closed strong, going 3 under over his final five holes to finish the day with a 1-over 73. Like Avrit, he also delivered a clutch birdie at the finishing hole to help solidify Oregon's spot inside the top five.
Notable: Oregon's score of 21 under is its second-best score to par in a regional behind only the 2009 Daly City Regional when the Ducks went 27 under to advance … It's also the Ducks' best to par score in any tournament since the 2019 Amer Ari Invitational, when UO finished 30 under … Avrit turned in his fifth top-10 finish of the year and second one of the postseason after coming in 10th at the Pac-12 Championships … Solhaug's 68 was his eighth round in the 60s this year – the most on the team … It's the first time since 2009 that Oregon had four players finish in the top 20 of a regional, as Avrit, Leach, Moriyama and Solhaug all placed in the top 20.
Ducks On The Leaderboard:
The Reserve at Spanos Park (Par 72, 7,315 yards)
4. Oregon – 290-270-283 -- 843 (-21)
T10. Owen Avrit – 70-68-71 -- 209 (-7)
T17. Yuki Moriyama – 71-68-73 -- 212 (-4)
T17. Greyson Leach – 76-65-71 -- 212 (-4)
T17. Greg Solhaug – 73-71-68 -- 212 (-4)
T54. Nate Stember – 77-69-74 -- 220 (+4)
Up Next: The Ducks will head to Scottsdale, Ariz. for the NCAA Championships beginning May 27 at Grayhawk Golf Club.
A day after vaulting back into the top five with a historic round, the Ducks got off to another fast start in round three before struggling a bit in the middle portions of the round. UO fell out of the top five for parts of the day Wednesday but battled back down the stretch, going 6 under over the final three holes to move safely inside the top five.
"What a relief," said head coach Casey Martin. "The guys battled through a lot today and I am so proud of them, and so happy that they will get to go compete for a national championship."
The Ducks will head back to the NCAA Championships, which begin May 27 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Arizona, for the 31st time in school history and the first time since 2018.
How It Happened: Gregory Solhaug turned in the round of the day for UO, firing a 4-under 68. Solhaug got his round off to a fast start, opening with a birdie before adding another at the fourth hole to get to 2 under. He then closed the opening nine with three birdies in a four-hole stretch to shoot a 5-under 31 going out. Back-to-back bogeys at 11 and 12 would cool him off a bit, but Solhaug got one shot back with a birdie at the par-5 16th before closing with a pair of pars to shoot 68.
Two other Ducks joined Solhaug in shooting under par rounds, as Owen Avrit and Greyson Leach both fired 1-under 71s. Avrit was 3 over at the turn but came storming back with four birdies on a bogey-free back nine to get back into red figures. He made three birdies in his final four holes, including two huge birdies on 17 and 18 to help extend the Ducks' advantage over the teams chasing them for top five spots.
Leach went bogey-free with a pair of birdies through seven holes before giving one back at the par-3 eighth, shooting 1 under going out. The freshman shot even par on the back nine to finish 1 under and tied for 17th in his first NCAA postseason action.
Yuki Moriyama also closed strong, going 3 under over his final five holes to finish the day with a 1-over 73. Like Avrit, he also delivered a clutch birdie at the finishing hole to help solidify Oregon's spot inside the top five.
Notable: Oregon's score of 21 under is its second-best score to par in a regional behind only the 2009 Daly City Regional when the Ducks went 27 under to advance … It's also the Ducks' best to par score in any tournament since the 2019 Amer Ari Invitational, when UO finished 30 under … Avrit turned in his fifth top-10 finish of the year and second one of the postseason after coming in 10th at the Pac-12 Championships … Solhaug's 68 was his eighth round in the 60s this year – the most on the team … It's the first time since 2009 that Oregon had four players finish in the top 20 of a regional, as Avrit, Leach, Moriyama and Solhaug all placed in the top 20.
Ducks On The Leaderboard:
The Reserve at Spanos Park (Par 72, 7,315 yards)
4. Oregon – 290-270-283 -- 843 (-21)
T10. Owen Avrit – 70-68-71 -- 209 (-7)
T17. Yuki Moriyama – 71-68-73 -- 212 (-4)
T17. Greyson Leach – 76-65-71 -- 212 (-4)
T17. Greg Solhaug – 73-71-68 -- 212 (-4)
T54. Nate Stember – 77-69-74 -- 220 (+4)
Up Next: The Ducks will head to Scottsdale, Ariz. for the NCAA Championships beginning May 27 at Grayhawk Golf Club.
Players Mentioned
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