Bearcats Finish 2nd at Pacific Spring Invitational, as Davis Earns 3rd Place

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

BANKS, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's golf team completed the Pacific Spring Invitational in second place, as four Bearcats registered scores from 72 to 77 in the final round on Sunday, March 1 at the Quail Valley Golf Course. Austin Davis (So., Culver City, CA/Culver City HS) of Willamette, who began the day tied for fifth place, moved up into sole possession of third place in the final standings. Davis shot an even-par 72 on Sunday for a 36-hole score of 143. Andrew Kibbee (So., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) from WU shot 147 overall to tie for fifth, while Alex Weirth (Fy., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy) shot 151 and tied for 10th.

George Fox University won the team title with a score of 573 (281-292). Willamette registered a 36-hole team score of 600 to follow in second, with a 299 in the first round and a 301 in the second round. Linfield College was third at 615 (304-311), while Pacific University was fourth at 637 (310-327). The University of Puget Sound placed fifth at 642 (319-323), and Lewis & Clark College was sixth at 648 (317-331).

Medalist honors went to Mason Koch of George Fox, who carded the two lowest rounds of the tournament with a 67 in the first round and a 66 in the second round for an overall score of 9-under-par 133. Koch won the individual championship by eight strokes. Carson Linville from Linfield was second with a 1-under-par 141 (70-71). Davis of Willamette was third at 143 (71-72), and Dante Heitschmidt of GFU placed fourth at 146 (70-76).

Kibbee of Willamette, along with George Fox golfers Joshua Lackey and Clayton Rajewich, tied for fifth place at 147. Kibbee shot 72-75, Lackey earned 73-74, and Rajewich achieved scores of 71-76. Braden Ash of Pacific, who was second after shooting a 67 on Saturday, carded a 79 on Sunday, and ended the weekend in eighth place. Alex Hong from L&C was ninth at 149 (74-75). Weirth of Willamette and Matthew Zaback Pacific tied for 10th place at 151 after both golfers shot 74-77.

In addition to Davis, Kibbee and Weirth, other Bearcats competing at the Pacific Spring Invitational were Carlos Cortes Dequidt (Fy., San Diego, CA/Torrey Pines HS), Chikatsu Sugawara (So., Anjo, Japan/TIUA), and Tyler Shreve (So., Buffalo, WY/Buffalo HS). Cortes Dequidt attained a score of 159 (82-77). Sugawara shot 172 (88-84) and Shreve carded 173 (82-91). Sugawara competed as an individual since each team entry featured only five golfers.

Willamette will compete at the Puget Sound Invitational on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8. Both rounds will be held at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington.