After missing the cut by just two strokes at the NCAA Regionals in 2013, Oregon men’s golf is in much better position to make a stab at the NCAA Championships this year, especially considering that Eugene Country Club, a course that the team typically trains at, will play host to it.
Ranked in the top 100 courses in the U.S. by Golf Digest and in the top 100 Modern courses by Golfweek, the Eugene Country Club is one of the more “unique” golf courses, as sophomore Brandon McIver puts it. Certain elements — such as firmer than average greens and narrow playing surfaces — will play into the game when a contingent of teams vying for a spot in the NCAA Championships compete from May 15-17.
“It’s pretty tough,” head coach Casey Martin said in reference to the difficult elements the course presents. “It’s narrow, big trees, there’s a lot of visceral things about it. It’s very fair, but it is a little bit difficult, very challenging, so it’s going to be big test for us and everybody else.”
Oregon comes into the regional seeded seventh out of 12 teams. With a leveled pool of talented teams, eight of which are ranked in the top-50, it won’t be as if the Ducks will coast for the tournament’s entirety.
Jonathan Woo, who cracked the top 10 in both regionals he competed in as a freshman and sophomore, is even hoping that the team will grab a spot in this year’s NCAA Championships hosted in Hutchinson, Kansas and finish in the top three due to the circumstances they’re under.
“I think a good goal for us would be to finish in top three just because it is our home course and we know so much about it,” said Woo, the lone upperclassman competing.
Woo’s statement is not an elevated expectation for this group’s fate this weekend by any means. Oregon has continually practiced at the Eugene Country Club this last month and will have a breadth of familiarity unlike any other team competing.
“We know Eugene well,” Martin said. “We’ve been playing there a lot. It’s going to be a really wonderful event and we’re excited to be hosting. Hopefully we can play our best golf and advance through.”
As a demanding course, the Eugene Country Club plays the mind game that Oregon’s golfers have played with each other this season. It was consistently eliminated throughout the season, however, with examples pointing to Sulman Raza and Woo’s emergence during separate points this season.
For the sophomore McIver, who has been arguably the Ducks’ most consistent golfer this season, the anxiety of playing in tournaments is a trait that he feels that he has calmed since January.
“There’s always a level of anxiousness,” McIver said. “We’ve improved on relaxing in tournaments … I’ve seen a lot more improvement.”
McIver also noted how this team seems ready to peak at the end of the year, citing that the prospect of playing in an environment the team is so familiar with can only enhance the already great chance the Ducks have this weekend.
Follow Justin Wise on Twitter @JWISE25