Willamette Men's Golf Team Ties Lutes for First Place at PLU Invitational
By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
DUPONT, Wash. -- Willamette University tied host Pacific Lutheran University in the final standings at the PLU Invitational in men's golf, as the tournament concluded on Sunday, Sept. 27 at The Home Course. Willamette and PLU each finished with a 36-hole team score of 597.
The Bearcats, who led George Fox University by a single stroke after the first round, shot 291-306, while the Lutes carded 298-299. George Fox finished in third place at 600 (292-308).
University of Puget Sound took fourth place at 623 (313-310). Lewis & Clark College (307-319) and Pacific Lutheran's "B" team (312-314) tied for fifth at 626. Linfield College (303-324) and Whitworth University (309-318) shared seventh place at 627. Whitman College was ninth at 695 (344-351) and Pacific University placed 10th at 745 (373-372).
Willamette's 291 in the first round was the low round of the tournament. Pacific Lutheran's 299 was the low score in the second round.
The individual title was won by Kyle Drugge of Pacific Lutheran. He shot 143 (71-72) to finish at 1-under par.
Drew Groshong of Lewis & Clark took second place at 144 (70-74). Trent Jones (Fr., Kenmore, WA/Shorecrest HS) from Willamette carded 145 (70-75) for third place, and Chase Lamothe (Sr., Corvallis, OR/Corvallis HS), also for the Bearcats, shot 146 (72-74) for fourth place.
Fifth place was a two-way tie between Caleb An from George Fox and Kenneth Sheldon of Willamette. An shot 72-75--147, while Sheldon recorded 71-76--147.
Another tie followed for seventh place at 148. Clark Wilson (Jr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) of Willamette shared the tie by shooting 72-76. Zach Martinson of PLU's "B" team matched Wilson by earning 73-75.
Also competing for the Bearcats were Steven Rodriguez (Sr., Red Bluff, CA/Mercy HS), Peter Mitzel (Jr., Red Bluff, CA/Red Bluff HS), Collin Fuller (Jr./So., Grants Pass, OR/Grants Pass HS) and Sam Hinton (Fr., Seaside, OR/Seaside HS). Rodriguez shot 154 (77-77) to tie for 16th. Mitzel shot 158 (77-81), Fuller carded 161 (79-82) and Hinton finished at 163 (81-82).
Sheldon, Rodriguez and Fuller competed at individuals and did not contribute to the Bearcats' team score. A total of 62 golfers participated in the tournament.
Willamette will attend the Whitworth Invitational on Sunday, Oct. 4 and Monday, Oct. 5. The tournament will be held at Spokane Country Club in Spokane, Washington.