Kibbee Wins Individual Championship at NWC Fall Classic in Men's Golf
By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
WOODBURN, Ore. -- Andrew Kibbee (So., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) from Willamette University shot a 3-under par 69 in the final round of the Northwest Conference Fall Classic in men's golf to win the individual title with a 36-hole score of 140, as the tournament concluded on Sunday, Oct. 13 at the Oregon Golf Association (OGA) Golf Course. The Bearcats took third place in the team standings, just three strokes behind George Fox University, which won the team title.
Kibbee, who carded a 1-under-par 71 in the first round, moved up from sixth place after 18 holes to win the tournament championship by three strokes. His round of 69 on Sunday featured five birdies and just two bogeys, as he completed the event with seven birdies, three bogeys and 26 pars.
Mason Koch from George Fox University, who was tied for the lead on Saturday with a 67, recorded a 76 on Sunday and took second place at 143. Koch was one stroke in front of five golfers tied for third at 144.
The five-way tie included Alex Weirth (Fy., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy) of Willamette, Will Alexander from Whitworth University, Jared Beals of Pacific Lutheran University, and Dante Heitschmidt and Joshua Lackey from George Fox. Weirth shot 70-74, while Alexander shot 74-70, and Beals carded 73-71. Heitschmidt registered 69-75 and Lackey shot 67-77.
Reilly Hegarty of Whitworth was eighth with a score of 145 (70-75). Austin Davis (So., Culver City, CA/Culver City HS) of the Bearcats and Caleb Belton of Whitworth tied for ninth place at 146. Davis carded 75-71, while Belton shot 78-68.
Also competing for Willamett were Carlos Cortes Dequidt (Fy., San Diego, CA/Torrey Pines HS) and Tyler Shreve (So., Buffalo, WY/Buffalo HS). Dequidt recorded an 81 in the first round and a 79 in the second round to finish at 160. Shreve shot a 76 in the first round, but had to withdraw before the second round.
George Fox held on to first place by a single stroke in the team standings at 582, after leading by seven strokes on the first day with score of 7-under par 281. The Bruins shot 301 in the second round on Sunday. Whitworth finished second at 583 (294-289) and Willamette was third at 585 (292-293).
Linfield College grabbed fourth place at 609 (310-299). Pacific Lutheran earned fifth place, one stroke behind the Wildcats at 610 (304-306). University of Puget Sound placed sixth at 615 (316-299), Lewis & Clark College was seventh at 628 (315-313, Whitman College was eighth at 634 (314-320), and Pacific University was ninth at 637 (323-314).
The NWC Fall Classic is one of three tournaments that determines the NWC team champion in men's golf. The NWC Fall Classic and the NWC Spring Classic are each worth one-fourth of the title, while the NWC Tournament is worth one-half of the title.
With the NWC Fall Classic completed, George Fox leads the standings with 8 points. Whitworth is second with 7 points, Willamette is third with 6 points, and Linfield is fourth with 5 points. Pacific Lutheran holds fifth place with 4 points, while Puget Sound is sixth with 3 points, Lewis & Clark is seventh with 2 points, Whitman is eighth with 1 points, and Pacific is ninth with no points.