Bearcats Finish First at NWC Spring Classic, while Kibbee Wins Individual Title
By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Willamette University won the team championship at the Northwest Conference Spring Classic in men's golf and Andrew Kibbee (Jr., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) led the Bearcats by taking first place, as the tournament ended on Sunday, April 4 at Wine Valley Golf Club. The Bearcats earned a score of 578 after shooting 285 in the first round and 293 in the second round. Kibbee finished at 5-under par 139, as he carded a 67 in the first round and a 72 on Sunday.
The Bearcats won the tournament title by 12 strokes over Pacific Lutheran University, which took second place at 590 (290-300). The Bearcats led by five strokes after the first round and picked up seven more strokes on Sunday.
Whitworth University placed third at 600 (299-301) and George Fox University followed in fourth place at 603 (307-296). The University of Puget Sound was fifth with a score of 613 (301-312), while Linfield University placed sixth at 622 (305-317). Whitman College was seventh at 626 (308-318), Pacific University finished eighth at 645 (312-333) and Lewis & Clark College was ninth at 686 (336-350).
Kibbee's 36-hole score of 139 included one eagle, nine birdies, 21 pars, four bogeys, and just one double bogey. Caden Arnold of Pacific Lutheran took second place at 142. He shot a 72 in the first round and earned the low score of the second round with a 70.
Reilly Hegarty from Whitworth and Mason Koch from George Fox tied for third place at 143. Hegerty shot a 69 on Saturday and carded a 74 on Sunday. Koch shot 72 in the first round and 71 in the second round. Max Ray-Keil of Whitman registered the low round of the tournament with a 66 in the first round and added a 79 in the second round to place fifth at 145.
Four golfers, including Austin Davis (Jr., Culver City, CA/Culver City HS) and Alex Weirth (So., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy) of Willamette, tied for sixth place at 146. Davis shot 72 and 74, while Weirth achieved scores of 70 and 76. Also tying for sixth place were Joshua Lackey (74-72) from GFU and Simon Luedtke (71-75) of PLU.
Willamette's team entry also included Aunders Erickson (Grad., Portland, OR/Westview HS/Ohio Wesleyan Univ.) and Riley Lankford (So./Fy., Pilot Rock, OR/Pilot Rock HS). Erickson tied for 11th place with a score of 148 (76-72), including an eagle 3 on the par 5 seventh hole on Sunday. Lankford shot 158 overall, as he improved from an 83 in the first round to a 75 in the second round.
The NWC Spring Classic is worth one-fourth of the overall NWC Championship. With the win, Willamette is tied with Pacific Lutheran for the lead after two of the three NWC events. PLU won the NWC Fall Classic, also worth one-fourth of the championship, last weekend, while the Bearcats grabbed second place. If either team wins the NWC Tournament, worth one-half of the overall title, that team will claim the NWC Championship. Other scenarios are possible, but Willamette and Pacific Lutheran are the only teams that can win the championshp without help from other squads. The NWC Tournament will be held on April 17 and April 18 at Kalispel Golf and Country Club in Spokane, Washington.