Ducks Rally to Win Saint Mary’s Invitational on Final Holes

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Oregon rallied over the last six holes to come from behind and beat No. 6 Stanford by two strokes to win the 2021 Saint Mary's Invitational Wednesday at the par-71, 7,002-yard Poppy Hills Golf Club.
 
Oregon finished atop the leaderboard for the first time since 2018 by shooting a 19-under 833. It was the first time the Ducks have taken home the trophy at the Saint Mary's Invitational since 2011.
 
"It was a great team effort," said assistant coach Jeff Quinney. "It was fun to test our abilities against one of the top teams in Stanford."
 
How It Happened: The Ducks trailed Stanford by seven shots entering the final round. Oregon picked up some momentum when four Ducks – Owen Avrit, Craig Ronne, Greg Solhaug and Greyson Leach – all birdied the 10th hole. Solhaug helped Oregon inch closer with birdies on the 12th and 14th holes, while the Cardinal struggled with three bogeys on 13.
 
On the pivotal 17th hole, the Ducks seized control with a four shot swing. Three Cardinal golfers bogeyed the hole, while Leach birdied and Avrit, Ronne and Solhaug all shot par to push Oregon in front by a stroke.
 
Stanford momentarily tied the match with a birdie on 18, but Solhaug and Leach answered with birdies of their own for the Ducks to secure the two-stroke win.
 
Solhaug led Oregon on Wednesday with a 3-under 68. The Ducks also counted a 69 from Ronne and 70s from Avrit and Leach for a final round 7-under 277.
 
Solhaug was one of four Ducks to finish in the top 25. The sophomore from Norway set a career high by tying for fifth at 4-under 209. Ronne tied for ninth at 2-under 211.
 
Nate Stember tied for 17th at 1-under 212, while Avrit tied for 24th at 213.
 
Quotable
Assistant Coach Jeff Quinney
"The team has been really working hard and the results showed. This last tournament of the fall hopefully will give us momentum into the spring season."
 
Notable: Avrit recorded his seventh round below par this fall (12 total rounds) … Solhaug's 68 matched his career low round … Oregon's last win was a tie for the title at the 2018 Duck Invitational … Two of Ronne's career top-10 finishes came this fall … It was Stember's fourth career top-20 showing.
 
Ducks On The Leaderboard
Poppy Hills Golf Club (Par 71, 7,002 Yards)
1. Oregon – 280-276-277-833 (-19)
T5. Greg Solhaug – 72-69-68-209 (-4)
T9. Craig Ronne – 64-78-69-211 (-2)
T17. Nate Stember – 70-68-74 212 (-1)
T24. Owen Avrit – 77-66-70-213 (E)
T46. Greyson Leach – 74-73-70-217 (+4)
T82. Eric Doyle* – 74-76-74-224 (+11)
*competing as an individual
 
Up Next: The Saint Mary's Invitational completes the Ducks' fall season. Oregon will open the spring season Feb. 3 in Hawaii.
 
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