Kukula Ties for Fifth Place at Whitworth Fall Invitational

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SPOKANE, WASH. -- Willamette University freshman Ryan Kukula (Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) shot a 1-over-par 73 on the second day of the Whitworth Fall Invitational in men's golf to tie for fifth place overall with a two-day total of 147 at the Spokane Country Club. The Bearcats placed seventh in the team standings.

Whitworth University shot 587 as a team (296-291) for the 36 holes of the event to take first place. The Pirates won by five strikes over the University of Puget Sound, which finished second at 592 (296-296). Whitworth and UPS began the second round tied for the lead. The tournament was held on Sunday, Oct. 2 and Monday, Oct. 3.

North Idaho College finished third at 594 (299-295), while Pacific Lutheran University was fourth at 602 (297-305). Linfield College placed fifth at 612 (309-303), Whitman College was sixth one shot behind Linfield at 613 (309-304), Willamette took seventh at 617 (306-311), George Fox University was eighth at 680 (339-341) and Pacific University placed ninth at 693 (343-350).

The individual champion was Dustin Hegge of Pacific Lutheran, who carded an overall score of 2-under-par 142 (68-74). He won by two strokes over the second place finisher, Adam Bean of Puget Sound, who finished at 144 (73-71).

Third place was a tie between Christian Boudreau of Whitworth and Alex Fitch of Linfield, both at 145. Boudreau and Fitch had identical scores each day with 72 in the first round and 73 in the second round.

Kukula tied for fifth with Taylor Reed from North Idaho. Kukula shot a 74 in the first round, before adding his 73 for the final 18 holes. Reed carded a 75 on the first day and earned a 72 on the second day.

The tournament included 51 golfers. Kukula was WU's top finisher, while Cody Plofker (Fr., Montclair, NJ/Montclair HS) also finished in the top 20 for the Bearcats. He was involved in a three-way tie for 16th at 153. Plofker shot a 77 in the first round and earned a 76 in the second round.

William Ferguson (Fr., Arlington, VA/Hartsbrook HS) of Willamette shot a solid 74 on the first day, but struggled a bit on the second day for an 83. His overall total was 157. Taylor Mutch (Fr., La Grande, OR/La Grande HS) shot 81 in the first round and carded a 79 in the second round for a two-day total of 160.

Willamette's next scheduled competition is on Oct. 8 at the Willamette Valley Championship, hosted by Linfield College at Michelbook Country Club in McMinnville, Ore. Tee times are set to begin at 11 a.m. (PDT).