With three players in the top six, including medalist Quincy Beyrouty, Oregon Tech’s women captured OIT’s Run-In at the Ranch on Tuesday under clear blue skies and virtually no wind on a comfortable afternoon at the Running Y Resort.
Tech’s men, meanwhile, came back strong in Tuesday’s play and almost slipped past Southern Oregon for second place in the team race. Menlo College won the title.
Simpson’s Trey Alwert won medalist honors for the men with a 2-under 142.
For the Tech women and Beyrouty, the tournament win is their first since 2021 when All-American Payton Canon led the Owls to the team title while also winnin individual medalist honors.
“The team win is way cooler,” Beyrouty said after she finished her two rounds at 2-over 146. Teammate Madie Hepner was fourth with a 152, and Madison Dick sixth with a 154.
“I’m playing my best golf ever, from tee to green,” Beyrouty said, although she struggled on the back nine Tuesday with her putting game, which kept her from finishing under par for the round and the tournament.
“Even while I was struggling on the back nine, I was not only trying to win (the tournament) individually, but have the team win. I knew I just had to continue to perform.”
“(Tuesday), I had a great front nine,” Hepner said, “but I could have played better. Monday was smooth sailing and I focused on my mental game.”
Hepner, like other players, noted Monday’s playing conditions were more difficult than Tuesday’s second round.
Monday, players said, it was cold and windy, especially during the first hour or two of play.
Tech’s women won the team title with a two-day score of 610, and bettered Menlo College’s 628 and North Idaho’s 630.
In addition to Beyrouty, Hepner and Dick, other OIT women to finish the tournament were Sydney Dick (157), Navy Wood (161), Brittney Barrington (161) and Baylee Hodgman (162).
The men’s race was tight from the outset, and the top six teams all were within a just a few strokes after Monday’s first round, which SOU led with a 292. Menlo’s 288 Tuesday allowed the Oaks to take the tournament title with a 583, two strokes ahead of Southern Oregon.
Tech was third with a 596.
“I finished well,” OIT’s Issey Tanimura said after he tied for eighth in the battle for team honors with Jack Tieman. OIT’s Tyler Vassar actually had his team’s lowest score for the two days of competition, but was not among the five players listed as scoring for the Hustlin’ Owls.
“There are parts of the game I can improve on, but I felt good with my mental game. It was positive,” Tanimura said.
Vassar carded a 2-under 70 Tuesday, and was excited with his round because, he said, it is the first time in his career he played a bogey-free round. Vassar, who tied for fourth overall, had 16 pars Tuesday to go with his birdies.
Only one ugly hole Monday kept him from finishing higher.
“If I go out and am concerned because my score isn’t counting, it doesn’t matter,” Vassar said.
Vassar’s round of 70 Tuesday was one of seven under par turned in by various players in the tournament, including Menlo’s Nicolas-Guy Landry and Jack Stark to help the Oaks to their team win.
Also under par Tuesday was OIT’s Tieman.
Tech’s other men to finish were Kade Bracken (148), Silas Guzlas (150), Kellen Humphries (152), Tyce Helmich (159) and Carter Borror (183).