Oregon leads at U.S. Intercollegiate

STANFORD, Calif. (Mar. 30, 2012) -- The No. 12 University of Oregon men's golf team owned an impressive five-stroke lead after the U.S. Intercollegiate first round hosted on the Stanford Golf Course Friday. The Ducks featured four under-par scores on the par 70, 6,742-yard course en route to its 12th under-par team round of the season. Looking at season results, UO's eight-under score Friday tied its fourth-best round of the season behind its its second-round scores last fall in the Alister MacKenzie Invitational (16-under 268) and The Prestige (15-under 273) and first round score (14-under 270) in the former event. Individually for Oregon, senior Daniel Miernicki shot a four-under first-round 66, and was one stroke behind the leader, Rufie Fessler of Fresno State (65). The Santee, Calif., native Miernicki led UO in a round for the third time this season and 51st time in his career. His four-under score also tied his season best total that he has shot three times before this season and was his eighth under-par round of the season. UO's three other scorers also stood in the top 11 overall - redshirt junior Robbie Ziegler (seventh-tie, 68), seniors Eugene Wong (11th-tie, 69) and Andrew Vijarro (11th-tie, 69). In the team standings, Oregon ended the round with a five-stroke advantage over No. 6 UCLA (second, 277). The top five also included No. 8 USC (third, 279), No. 5 Washington (fourth, 280) and Nevada (fifth, 282). The event's two other top-13-ranked teams included Stanford (sixth-tie, 284) and No. 9 San Diego State (eighth, 285).