Bearcats Win NWC Spring Classic; Lamothe Earns Title with Birdie on Playoff Hole
By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Willamette University won the team title and Chase Lamothe (Sr., Corvallis, OR/Corvallis HS) claimed the individual championship as the Northwest Conference Spring Classic in men's golf ended on Sunday, April 10 at the Wine Valley Golf Club. The Bearcats shot 3-over-par 579 for 36 holes to edge out Whitworth University by one stroke and Pacific Lutheran University by three stroke.
Lamothe claimed the individual title by recording a birdie on the first playoff hole. Lamothe was tied with Mitchell Baldridge from Pacific Lutheran at the end of regulation play at 4-under-par 140. Baldridge shot 72-68, while Lamothe carded 71-69.
Austin Billeter from Whitworth, who led at the end of the first day with a 68, recorded a 74 in the second round and finished third at 2-under-par 142.
Trent Jones (Fr., Kenmore, WA/Shorecrest HS) of Willamette tied for fourth place at 145 (71-74). Jones tied with Zach Mode from George Fox University, who also carded 145 (72-73).
Sixth place went to Andrew Dodge from Whitworth at 146. Dodge shot 79 in the first round, before registering the low round of the tournament with a 5-under-par 67 on Sunday.
Steven Rodriguez (Sr., Red Bluff, CA/Mercy HS) and Clark Wilson (Jr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) both tied for seventh at 147, as Rodriguez shot 74-73 and Wilson recorded 72-75. Joining Rodrigeuz and Wilson in the tie for seventh were PLU golfers Ryan Fenton and Justin Lee. Fenton shot 71-76, while Lee earned 76-71.
Also for Willamette, Peter Mitzel (Jr., Red Bluff, CA/Red Bluff HS) finished at 154, as he tied for 22nd place. Mitzell carded a 79 in the first round and improved to a 75 in the second round. Thirty-four of the 44 golfers completed all 36 holes with scores under 160.
The Bearcats achieved their winning score of 579 by shooting even-par 288 on Saturday and 291 on Sunday. Whitworth recorded a score of 580 (291-289) for second place, and Pacific Lutheran took third at 582 (292-290). George Fox and Linfield College tied for fourth at 601, as GFU shot 296-305 and the Wildcats shot 306-295.
Lewis & Clark College placed sixth at 617 (319-298), while University of Puget Sound was seventh at 629 (317-312). Whitman College was eighth at 639 (333-306) and Pacific University was ninth at 670 (328-342).
Willamette and Whitworth are tied for the overall lead in the race for the NWC Championship with 15 points each. Whitworth won the NWC Fall Classic, while Willamette took second place. Pacific Lutheran University is third with 12 points after placing third at the NWC Fall Classic and the NWC Spring Classic.
The NWC uses three tournaments to determine the overall team champion. With the Fall Classic and the Spring Classic completed, only one event remains -- the NWC Tournament, set for April 23-24 at Crosswater Club in Sunriver, Oregon. The winning team at the NWC Tournament will receive 16 points, with the remaining teams earning points on a 14-12-10-8, etc. basis.
Willamette and Whitworth have the inside track at claiming the overall NWC Championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship. If the Bearcats or the Pirates take first place at the NWC Tournament, that team will win the title.
Up Next for the Willamette
The Bearcats will host the Willamette Spring Thaw on Saturday, April 16 and Sunday, April 17 at Lost Tracks Golf Club in Bend, Oregon.