Jones Wins Willamette Spring Thaw by Nine Strokes at 8-under-par 136
By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
BEND, Ore. -- Already leading with a 5-under par 67 in the first round, Willamette University golfer Trent Jones (Fr., Kenmore, WA/Shorecrest HS) shot a 69 in the second round on Sunday, April 17 to finish at 8-under-par 136 and win the tournament by nine strokes at the Lost Tracks Golf Club. The victory by Jones helped the Bearcats grab the team title.
Willamette recorded a team score of 581 after shooting 291 in the first round and 290 in the second round. Linfield College, which held a one-stroke lead over the Bearcats at the end of the first day with a score of 290, shot 307 on Sunday to finish in second place at 597. Whitworth University earned third place at 604 with back-to-back rounds of 302.
George Fox University took fourth place at 625 (320-305) and Lewis & Clark College placed fifth at 640 (319-321). Pacific University was sixth at 695 (357-338).
Jones recorded the two lowest rounds of the tournament. Overall, there were just four rounds under par. The other two were earned by Linfield golfers Lucas Balala and Logan Davis, who both shot 71 in the first round.
Austin Billeter of Whitworth was tied with teammate Tyler McQuilkin for fourth on Saturday with a 72. Billeter shot a 73 on Sunday to claim second place at 1-over-par 145. McQuilkin carded a 74 on Sunday and placed third at 146.
Willamette's Chase Lamothe (Sr., Corvallis, OR/Corvallis HS) shared fourth place with fellow Bearcat Peter Mitzel (Jr., Red Bluff, CA/Red Bluff HS) and Balala. All three finished at 147, with Lamothe and Mitzel shooting 74-73 and Balala earning 71-76.
Mason Rodby from Linfield took seventh place at 149 (73-76). Three golfers tied for eighth place at 150, as Davis carded 71-79, Trey Harbick from New Hope Christian College registered 75-75 and Desmond Maisel from L&C shot 77-73.
In addition to Jones, Lamothe and Mitzel, Willamette's five-man team included Steven Rodriguez (Sr., Red Bluff, CA/Mercy HS) and Clark Wilson (Jr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS). Rodriguez shot 76-76 and Wilson achieved 77-75, as both golfers gained part of a five-way tie for 12th place.
Competing as individuals for the Bearcats were Sam Hinton (Fr., Seaside, OR/Seaside HS), Collin Fuller (Jr./So., Grants Pass, OR/Grants Pass HS), Stephan Bartz (Sr., San Francisco, CA/San Francisco Univ. HS) and Kenneth Sheldon (Fr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS). Hinton shot 154 (77-77), while Fuller recorded 157 (78-79). Bartz finished at 163 (80-83) and Sheldon was listed at 166 (84-82).
Willamette will travel back to central Oregon next weekend to compete at the Northwest Conference Tournament on Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24 at Crossover Golf Course in Sunriver. Willamette and Whitworth are tied for the overall lead in the NWC, with Pacific Lutheran University in third place. The NWC Tournament counts for one-half of the NWC championship.