Avrit’s 63 Leads Ducks at Mirabel

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Owen Avrit had seven birdies on his way to a career-best round of 63 to lead Oregon into second place following round one of the Maui Jim Intercollegiate Friday at Mirabel Golf Club.
 
As a team, the Ducks were at 12-under 268 and trailed only No. 13 Auburn, which had a 258, in the fall season opener. Oregon was a shot up on No. 12 Tennessee and No. 22 Washington, two strokes ahead of No. 19 Florida State and three shots better than No. 5 Arizona State.
 
How It Happened: All five Ducks at Mirabel were at par or better, led by Avrit, whose 63 eclipsed his previous low by one stroke.
 
The senior from Arroyo Grande, Calif., birdied six holes on the front nine. He opened with three straight on the first three holes and also birdied No. 5, No. 8 and No. 9. On the back nine, Avrit parred the first five holes before birdieing No. 15 to get to 7-under for the day. His only blemish was a bogey at No. 16, but he quickly got back to 7-under with his last birdie of the day on the par-5 17th hole.
 
Avrit was tied for second with Boyd Owens of Wake Forest. Ryan Eshleman of Auburn took the first round lead with a 10-under 60.
 
Greyson Leach nearly matched Avrit on the front nine with five birdies, including both par-threes, No. 6 and No. 8. He added three more birdies on the back nine but also counted four bogeys to finish the day tied for 13th at 4-under 66.
 
The Ducks also had redshirt-freshman Gabriel Hari at 1-under 69 and Greg Solhaug and Nate Stember at even-par 70. Hari was tied for 36th, while Solhaug and Stember were tied for 47th.
 
Quotable
Head Coach Casey Martin
"The guys played solidly. We kept it out of the desert for the most part. Good start to the season."
 
Notable: Avrit's 63 was one shot shy of the school record, 62, held by four different Ducks. He is the 11th Oregon golfer to post a round of 63 or lower.
 
Ducks On The Leaderboard
Mirabel Golf Club (Par 70, 7,118 Yards)
2. Oregon – 268 (-12)
T2. Owen Avrit – 70 (E)
T13. Greyson Leach – 66 (-4)
T36. Gabriel Hari – 69 (-1)
T47. Greg Solhaug – 70 (E)
T47. Nate Stember – 70 (E)
 
Up Next: Round two of the Maui Jim Intercollegiate begins Saturday at 8 a.m.
 
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