SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – The Oregon men’s golf team wrapped up their regular season with a strong performance at the 79th Western Intercollegiate. They shot their best round of the week, finishing at 3-over 353 at Pasatiempo Golf Club. In the end, Oregon placed ninth out of 15 teams with a total score of 17-over par. Now, they’re gearing up for the postseason, starting with the Big Ten Championships on May 1 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland.
Sophomore Ramil Saelim led the Ducks in the final round with a solid 2-under 68. Aiden Krafft was the team’s top individual, tying for 15th place thanks to a stunning 5-under 65 in the second round.
Saelim started the last round with a birdie and a bogey but then found his rhythm. He made birdies at No. 9, No. 15, and No. 18, finishing with only one bogey overall. This marked his seventh round of the season under 70.
Krafft followed up his great performance on Tuesday with a 1-over 71 in the final round. Though he struggled early, going 3 over in the first five holes, he bounced back to shoot 2 under for the rest of the day. This finish adds to his impressive record, marking his fifth top-20 finish this season.
Casper Nerpin and Kyreece Romero also had great rounds, each scoring even-par 70s. Nerpin played consistently, making 16 pars and one birdie. Romero, on the other hand, overcame a tough start with back-to-back double bogeys and finished strong, shooting 4 under in his final 12 holes, which included a birdie-birdie-eagle stretch.
Oscar Lent, competing as an individual, also made headlines by making his second eagle of the week on the par-4 seventh hole.
The final rankings for Oregon looked like this:
- Oregon: 360-354-353 — 1,067 (+17)
- Aiden Krafft: 72-65-71 — 208 (-2)
- Ramil Saelim: 72-71-68 — 211 (+1)
- Casper Nerpin: 73-72-70 — 215 (+5)
- Sebastian Desoisa: 70-72-75 — 217 (+7)
- Jeffrey Kwak: 73-74-74 — 221 (+11)
- Kyreece Romero: 79-75-70 — 224 (+14)
- Oscar Lent (Ind.): 79-71-76 — 226 (+16)
In the broader context, the University of Southern California (USC) claimed the team title, finishing at 13 under. USC’s Jack Buchanan and Stanford’s Dean Greyserman tied for individual honors at 10 under. Notably, Oregon’s lineup collectively made four eagles during the tournament, ranking them third for this stat among the teams.
As the Ducks transition to the upcoming championships, they’ll aim to carry this momentum forward. Their consistent performance in this tournament bodes well for their prospects in the postseason.
For more information on the upcoming Big Ten Championships, you can visit the official tournament page here.
