EUGENE, ORE.(July 27, 2010) -- Greg Moss captured the first round lead at The 44th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship which began today on the 7,051-yard par 71 layout at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore.

Just 1-stroke off the lead at 3-under par are collegiate teammates Daniel Miernicki of Santee, Calif. and Andrew Vijarro of Bend, Ore. who both play for the Oregon Ducks. They'll be chasing 2009 West Coast Conference Champion Greg Moss of Sherman Oaks, Calif. who eagled the 424- yard par-4 11th hole enroute to a 5-under par 34-33-67.

"Sure we play here alot," noted Vijarro. "But I don't think I've ever seen tight hole locations like today. We were shooting at pins we've never seen before. Plus, this course is not playing like the course we play during the Pac-10 season when the course is soft. Today, I'm hitting 10-feet short of the hole and running the ball up instead of trying to hitting past the hole and spinning it back."

If not for a costly triple bogey on the par-3 signature 5th hole, Vijarro would have the early lead. "I'm making some swing changes and sometimes I block one right," noted Vijarro. "I knew it was going into the water, then I had a bad approach from the drop, that nearly rolled back into the hazard, a bad chip and a missed putt gave me a six. "But I'm playing really well, so I moved on. Its a long tournament and I just didn't want to shoot myself out of possible contention early."

Vijarro roared back on the back nine shooting 5-under par with eagles on the par-5 13th hole as well as on the par-4 18th hole, holing out from the fairway.

This year's event also is one of redemption for Miernicki, who aggravated a wrist injury and had to withdrew from last year's championship after shooting a 7-under par 65 in the second round. "You can't win it in the first round, but you sure can lose it," said Miernicki. "My goal this year is to post four solid rounds in the 60's."

He, and everyone else will have to go low if they hope to capture the title. Nearly one- quarter of the field posted first round scores of even par or better.

The format for this championship is 72- holes of individual stroke play with no cut, but the event also features a team component, with three-man teams representing the 16 state and regional associations that make up the Pacific Coast Golf Association competing for the Morse Cup trophy. The champion is determined after the first 36 holes, with each team's best two scores each day counting toward the team score. The Washington State Golf Association team has won the last two years but is well back in the pack this year.

Leading the team competition is the Utah Golf Association led by Robert McRae of Park City, Utah who is also 1-stroke of the lead at 68. "I love this course," noted McCrae, who recently completed his collegiate career at St. Mary's. "This course can bite you if you don't choose your battles wisely."

Nipping on Utah's heels is the host association Oregon team which includes Vijarro, the 2009 Oregon Amateur champion; recent Oregon State graduate Paul Peterson, who won the 2010 Oregon Amateur and is the reigning Oregon Men's Stroke Play Champion; and veteran Chad Sawyer, a two-time Oregon Public Links champion who also advanced to the Round of 32 in last year's U.S. Mid-Amateur championship.

The second round of the championship begins Wednesday at 7:30am. Spectators are welcome.