University of Oregon
NCAA Regionals
Ducks Open Columbus Regional in Three-Way Tie for 11th After First Round
05/18/26 | Men's Golf
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Oregon men's golf team opened play Monday at the NCAA Columbus Regional on the back nine with a strong start and spent much of the day in the middle of the leaderboard before a difficult finish on the front nine dropped the Ducks into a three-way tie for 11th place at 16-over par.
The Ducks added nine strokes to their overall score over their final five holes, with four of the five players contributing counting scores recording bogeys on No. 9.
The Ducks carded a 16-over 300 and sit in a three-way tie for 11th place in the 13-team field. No. 2 national seed Florida holds a commanding 12-stroke lead at 7-under par, while Memphis is second at 5-over. Florida State, Stanford and Illinois round out the top five, with the top five teams at the end of the regional advancing to the NCAA Championships in Carlsbad, California.
With two days and 36 holes left, the Ducks have an uphill climb but seek a top-5 finish to get back to the national championship for the first time since 2023. As it stands, just seven strokes separate the Ducks and fifth place.
How it Happened
The Ducks settled into an early rhythm on the back nine, playing their first seven holes at 1-over par as a team. Sophomore Ramil Saelim was 1-under during that stretch, while senior Aiden Krafft played even par.
Firm conditions and windy weather made the front nine more challenging as the round progressed. Saelim encountered a difficult stretch midway through the day, carding a double bogey on No. 17 followed by three consecutive bogeys on holes 1-3 before closing with an even-par performance over his final six holes. Krafft finished the opening round at 3-over par, while Saelim ended the day at 4-over.
Sophomore Tim Chang returned to the lineup for the first time since the Duck Invitational in late March. Chang was 1-over par through 13 holes before carding three bogeys over his final five holes. Senior Casper Nerpin rounded out Oregon's counting scores in the opening round. Chang finished with a 4-over 75, while Nerpin posted a 5-over 76.
Duck Scorecard
NCAA Columbus Regional
OSU Golf Club – Par 71 (7,422 yards)
T11. Oregon – 300 (+16)
T30. Aiden Krafft – 74 (+3)
T42. Ramil Saelim – 75 (+4)
T42. Tim Chang– 75 (+4)
T55. Casper Nerpin – 76 (+5)
T69. Sebastian Desoisa – 79 (+8)
Regional Scoreboard
1. Florida – 277 (-7)
2. Memphis – 289 (+5)
T3. Florida State – 290 (+6)
T3. Stanford – 290 (+6)
5. Illinois State – 293 (+9)
6. Arizona State – 294 (+10)
T7. Wright State – 296 (+12)
T7. California – 296 (+12)
T9. South Carolina – 298 (+14)
T9. Long Beach State – 298 (+14)
T11. USF – 300 (+16)
T11. Oregon – 300 (+16)
T11. Utah – 300 (+16)
Next Up
Second round action for the Ducks gets underway at 5:55 a.m. PT on Tuesday. The Ducks will tee off alongside USF and Long Beach State off No. 10.
