With a torrid finish to the NCAA Regional, Oregon men’s golf earned a berth in the NCAA Championships in Brandeton, Florida. It’s the second consecutive season the Ducks have reached the championship tournament, and the sixth time in nine years under head coach Casey Martin.
The championship stage is familiar to several key players. Jonathan Woo, Brandon McIver, Zach Foushee and Thomas Lim all represented the Ducks in last year’s championship, and all of them will be looking to improve on the Ducks’ 14th place finish out of 30 teams.
But this year’s team is better than last year’s top to bottom, due in large part to the emergence of freshman Aaron Wise. This will easily be the biggest stage he’s played on in his young career, but he’s handled most high-pressure situations with ease this season.
Arguably the biggest x-factor going into this tournament is Woo, the Ducks’ lone senior. After the Noblesville Regional, Martin told GoDucks.com, “Woo has played his best golf in his career the past six weeks. He has been the difference.”
Woo has seen his share of ups and downs within the team and within his own game in his four-year career, but Martin is absolutely right. His three-under 69 score in the last round at Noblesville helped the Ducks immensely, and he tied for seventh among individuals in the tournament. If Woo’s hot streak continues at the NCAA Championships, he’ll certainly end his college career on a high note.
Another factor that could end up going in the Ducks’ favor is the weather. According to the Brandeton forecast, there is a good chance of rain on the back-end of the weekend and into next week. This actually bodes fairly well for the Ducks, as they have plenty of experience practicing in rainy conditions in Eugene.
The Ducks, like every other team in the field, will have to readjust to the marathon format of the NCAA Championships. From May 29-31, all 30 teams compete against each other in stroke play – a three-round format. From there, the eight teams with the lowest scores will move on to match play from June 1-3. In this format, teams will compete against another for one-round, with the winner moving on.
Although the Ducks have sometimes started slow this season, they’ve developed a reputation of finishing strong. We’ll see if it holds true in the championship.
Follow Will Denner on Twitter @Will_Denner