Bearcats Finish Tied for 11th, Kibbee Ties for 15th, at NCAA Golf Championship

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

WHEELING, W.Va. -- The Willamette University men's golf team finished tied for 11th place as the 2021 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship concluded on Friday, May 14. Andrew Kibbee (Jr., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) of Willamette tied for 15th place in the individual standings, while Alex Weirth (So., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy) tied for 31st  and Austin Davis (Jr., Culver City, CA/Culver City HS) tied for 40th.

The tie for 11th is the Bearcats' top finish at a national tournament in men's golf. During this year's event, Willamette shot 1203 for 72 holes. WU took 13th place at the 2019 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship and placed 14th at the NAIA Championship in 1975 and 1976.

Kibbee's overall score this week was 296 as he tied with seven other golfers for 15th. He shot 80-72-70-74. His 1-under 70 in the third round was Willamette's low individual round of the tournament. He registered 11 birdies during the week. On his way to tying for 31st, Weirth carded a score of 300 (75-76-72-77). His top round was a 1-over 72 on Thursday. Austin tied for 40th at 302 (73-72-79-78). He recorded a low round of 1-over 72 for the second 18 holes.

It was the second time Austin finished in the top 50 at the NCAA Championship and the second time that Kibbee placed in the top 100. In 2019, Austin tied for 24th and Kibbee took 88th.

Also competing in the NCAA Championship for the Bearcats were Aunders Erickson (Grad., Portland, OR/Westview HS/Ohio Wesleyan Univ.) and Riley Lankford (So./Fy., Pilot Rock, OR/Pilot Rock HS). Erickson tied for 57th place with a combined score of 305 on rounds of 76-77-76-76. Lankford shot 343 (87-85-83-87).

Each team played the par 70 Palmer Course once and the par 71 Jones Course once during the first two rounds. Willamette's first round was on the Palmer Course with the Bearcats' second round on the Jones Course. A total of 37 teams and six other individuals began the four-day event. The field was cut to 18 teams and six individuals after two days. The final two rounds were played on the Jones Course.

Illinois Wesleyan University held the team lead after each round and won the NCAA Championship with a score of 1155 (290-286-287-292). Methodist University (N.C.) was 13 strokes back in second place at 1168 (300-281-297-290). Guilford College (N.C.) took third place at 1179 (302-286-295-296) and Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) was fourth at 1184 (300-291-302-291). Huntingdon College (Ala.) placed fifth at 1186 (289-305-300-292), while Emory University (Ga.) was sixth at 1187 (296-300-290-301), and Denison University (Ohio) was seventh at 1188 (305-285-290-308).

Christopher Newport University (Va.) earned eighth place with a score of 1193 (307-289-304-293). Westminster College (Pa.) placed ninth at 1196 (314-283-311-288). The University of St. Thomas (Minn.) followed in 10th place at 1203 (313-291-299-300). Willamette and Trinity University (Texas) tied for 11th place at 1203, with Willamette carding 304-297-297-305 and Trinity shooting 313-291-299-300. Piedmont College (Ga.) was 13th at 1210 (296-307-310-297). Nebraska Wesleyan University finished 14th at 1213 (306-293-209-305. St. John's University (Minn.) tied for 15th place at 1218 (299-299-315-305). Webster University (Mo.) also shot 1218 (299-303-311-305).

Will Hocker from Webster won the individual NCAA Championship with a 72-hole score of 2-over par 285. He shot a 69 in the first round and then shot 72, 73, and 71. Robb Kinder of Christopher Newport and Cooper Hrabak from Methodist tied for second place at 287. Kinder shot 77-71-70-69 and Hrabak shot 75-69-73-70. Rob Wuethrich of Illinois Wesleyan and Andre Chi of Methodist tied for fourth place at 288, as Wuethrich carded 72-71-72-73 and Chi shot 70-65-77-74.

Jimmy Morton of Illinois Wesleyan was sixth at 289 (70-71-73-75), while Jason Folker from Carnegie Mellon placed seventh at 290 (71-72-76-71). Two golfers, Jason Li of Carnegie Mellon and Jacob Pederson from Gustavus Adolphus University (Minn.) tied for eighth with scores of 291. Li shot 74-72-73-72 and Pederson carded 74-75-71-71. Ethan Wilkins from Illinois Wesleyan was 10th at 292 (75-70-72-75).