Saturday, May 28
Scottsdale, AZ
All Day
University of Oregon
vs
NCAA Championships
Photo by: Rob Moseley/GoDucks.com
Big Finish Gives Ducks A Lift
05/28/22 | Men's Golf
Oregon struggled in the afternoon wave of the NCAA Championship tournament Saturday, but two late birdies by Owen Avrit got the Ducks into Sunday's morning wave.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Oregon got a taste of what the desert heat and winds can do to scores Saturday, but thanks to a clutch finish by junior Owen Avrit the Ducks shouldn't experience the same conditions Sunday.
Tied for third in the NCAA Championship tournament field when their round began Saturday, thanks to a strong morning round the day before, the Ducks struggled with the afternoon conditions in their second round. But thanks to an 8-foot birdie putt by Avrit on his final hole of the day, the UO men clinched a spot in the morning wave for Sunday's third round.
The field will be cut in half following Sunday's round, with only the top 15 teams (and the top nine individuals not on those 15 teams) advancing to the fourth round on Monday.
The Ducks slipped down the standings throughout their second round and were in 16th place as Avrit teed off on the ninth hole, Oregon's last of the day. The top 15 teams in the field would play in the morning wave Sunday and Avrit's birdie at No. 9 put Oregon into a three-team tie for 14th with Stanford and Florida; the Ducks won a tiebreaker based on the two-day score of their No. 5 player.
"This was a very tough day just to make par, let alone birdie," UO coach Casey Martin said. "So, we didn't play well. But we have a really clutch player in Owen. We were talking the last few holes and I was like, 'You've gotta birdie a couple of these.' And he did."
Avrit finished with birdies at both No. 7 and No. 9 to complete a round of even-par 70 on the 7,289-yard Grayhawk Golf Club. After putting his drive at No. 9 down the middle, Avrit was reminded one more time by Martin that the Ducks needed a birdie. He coolly put his approach shot within 8 feet, before making the putt.
"The other week in regionals I was able to kind of come in clutch down the stretch, and I just channeled that coming into this hole," said Avrit, who was 4 under on his back nine in the final round of regionals. "I was able to hit a really nice shot into the green, and then capitalize on it."
How It Happened: To that point birdies had been few and far between for the Ducks — and everyone else in the afternoon wave. Oregon was tied for second after Friday's round and tied for third as the Ducks began their round Saturday afternoon. But they didn't stay there long.
Avrit had two birdies on his front nine but was 1 over at the turn, which led Oregon. Yuki Moriyama was 2 over through nine, while both Greyson Leach and Greg Solhaug were 4 over.
Solhaug had two birdies on his second nine, which got him in at 8 over for the round as Oregon's fourth counting player on the day. Leach and Moriyama both went all day without a birdie and finished 6 over, while Nate Stember was 10 over for the day.
Avrit birdied the par-5 fourth hole to get 1 over for his round, but gave it back on the sixth. His birdie at No. 7 gave the Ducks a ray of hope, however, and he completed the Ducks' rally back into the top 15 and Sunday's morning wave. Avrit went from not counting toward Oregon's score Monday, when he was 5 over with a triple bogey and a double bogey, to making the biggest shot of their tournament so far.
"I felt like I didn't deserve the score I shot yesterday," Avrit said. "It was a couple of mistakes that really cost me. Even though my score didn't really reflect it, I'm hitting the ball solid — I'm doing everything pretty solid. So I had confidence I was gonna bounce back today and put together a good round."
Team Leaderboard
1. #1 Oklahoma 287-275—562 (+2)
2. #3 Vanderbilt 282-282—564 (+4)
3. #2 Oklahoma State 289-277—566 (+6)
4. #5 North Carolina 288-281—569 (+9)
5. #6 Pepperdine 294-282—576 (+16)
6. #14 Arkansas 294-286—580 (+20)
7. #17 Auburn 285-296—581 (+21)
T8. #4 Arizona State 290-292—582 (+22)
T8. #7 Texas 291-291—582 (+22)
T14. #27 Oregon 285-300—585 (+25)
Ducks on the Leaderboard
T32. Owen Avrit 75-70—145 (+5)
T53. Greyson Leach 71-76—147 (+7)
T65. Yuki Moriyama 72-76—148 (+8)
T85. Greg Solhaug 72-78—150 (+10)
T85. Nate Stember 70-80—150 (+10)
What It Means: Oregon's strong standing after playing in the morning Friday, and its slide down the leaderboard playing in the afternoon Saturday, reflected the importance of Avrit's putt to clinch a spot in the morning wave Sunday.
"It appears to be 10 shots," Martin said. "So yeah, it's significant. When the wind picks up on this championship course, it's just really difficult. So hopefully we can get a few holes in without too much wind and make some birdies tomorrow."
Up Next: The Ducks will tee off Sunday from the first hole beginning at 8 a.m.
Tied for third in the NCAA Championship tournament field when their round began Saturday, thanks to a strong morning round the day before, the Ducks struggled with the afternoon conditions in their second round. But thanks to an 8-foot birdie putt by Avrit on his final hole of the day, the UO men clinched a spot in the morning wave for Sunday's third round.
The field will be cut in half following Sunday's round, with only the top 15 teams (and the top nine individuals not on those 15 teams) advancing to the fourth round on Monday.
The Ducks slipped down the standings throughout their second round and were in 16th place as Avrit teed off on the ninth hole, Oregon's last of the day. The top 15 teams in the field would play in the morning wave Sunday and Avrit's birdie at No. 9 put Oregon into a three-team tie for 14th with Stanford and Florida; the Ducks won a tiebreaker based on the two-day score of their No. 5 player.
"This was a very tough day just to make par, let alone birdie," UO coach Casey Martin said. "So, we didn't play well. But we have a really clutch player in Owen. We were talking the last few holes and I was like, 'You've gotta birdie a couple of these.' And he did."
Avrit finished with birdies at both No. 7 and No. 9 to complete a round of even-par 70 on the 7,289-yard Grayhawk Golf Club. After putting his drive at No. 9 down the middle, Avrit was reminded one more time by Martin that the Ducks needed a birdie. He coolly put his approach shot within 8 feet, before making the putt.
"The other week in regionals I was able to kind of come in clutch down the stretch, and I just channeled that coming into this hole," said Avrit, who was 4 under on his back nine in the final round of regionals. "I was able to hit a really nice shot into the green, and then capitalize on it."
How It Happened: To that point birdies had been few and far between for the Ducks — and everyone else in the afternoon wave. Oregon was tied for second after Friday's round and tied for third as the Ducks began their round Saturday afternoon. But they didn't stay there long.
Avrit had two birdies on his front nine but was 1 over at the turn, which led Oregon. Yuki Moriyama was 2 over through nine, while both Greyson Leach and Greg Solhaug were 4 over.
Solhaug had two birdies on his second nine, which got him in at 8 over for the round as Oregon's fourth counting player on the day. Leach and Moriyama both went all day without a birdie and finished 6 over, while Nate Stember was 10 over for the day.
Avrit birdied the par-5 fourth hole to get 1 over for his round, but gave it back on the sixth. His birdie at No. 7 gave the Ducks a ray of hope, however, and he completed the Ducks' rally back into the top 15 and Sunday's morning wave. Avrit went from not counting toward Oregon's score Monday, when he was 5 over with a triple bogey and a double bogey, to making the biggest shot of their tournament so far.
"I felt like I didn't deserve the score I shot yesterday," Avrit said. "It was a couple of mistakes that really cost me. Even though my score didn't really reflect it, I'm hitting the ball solid — I'm doing everything pretty solid. So I had confidence I was gonna bounce back today and put together a good round."
Team Leaderboard
1. #1 Oklahoma 287-275—562 (+2)
2. #3 Vanderbilt 282-282—564 (+4)
3. #2 Oklahoma State 289-277—566 (+6)
4. #5 North Carolina 288-281—569 (+9)
5. #6 Pepperdine 294-282—576 (+16)
6. #14 Arkansas 294-286—580 (+20)
7. #17 Auburn 285-296—581 (+21)
T8. #4 Arizona State 290-292—582 (+22)
T8. #7 Texas 291-291—582 (+22)
T14. #27 Oregon 285-300—585 (+25)
Ducks on the Leaderboard
T32. Owen Avrit 75-70—145 (+5)
T53. Greyson Leach 71-76—147 (+7)
T65. Yuki Moriyama 72-76—148 (+8)
T85. Greg Solhaug 72-78—150 (+10)
T85. Nate Stember 70-80—150 (+10)
What It Means: Oregon's strong standing after playing in the morning Friday, and its slide down the leaderboard playing in the afternoon Saturday, reflected the importance of Avrit's putt to clinch a spot in the morning wave Sunday.
"It appears to be 10 shots," Martin said. "So yeah, it's significant. When the wind picks up on this championship course, it's just really difficult. So hopefully we can get a few holes in without too much wind and make some birdies tomorrow."
Up Next: The Ducks will tee off Sunday from the first hole beginning at 8 a.m.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
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