Oliver Smith Leads Bearcats with 2-under par 142 at NWC Fall Classic

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

McMINNVILLE, Ore. -- For the second consecutive day, Willamette University golfer Oliver Smith (So., San Jose, CA/Pioneer HS) carded a 1-under par 71 on Sunday, Oct. 15 at Michelbook Country Club in the final round of the Northwest Conference Fall Classic. Smith's 36-hole total of 142 tied him for ninth place on the final individual leaderboard.

The Bearcats placed fifth in the team standings, after shooting even-par 288 in the second round for an overall score of 586, as Willamette moved up from sixth place. Willamette shot 298 in the first round on Saturday.

Whitman College won the team championship for the Fall Classic with a score of 9-under par 567. The Blues carded scores of 293 in the first round and 274 in the second round. Whitworth University was second at 568 (282-286), Linfield University grabbed third place at 575 (278-297), and George Fox University placed fourth at 579 (293-286). Willamette's fifth place finish at 586 was followed by Pacific Lutheran University in sixth place at 596 (300-296). Pacific University was seventh at 600 (295-305), the University of Puget Sound took eighth place at 610 (304-306), and Lewis & Clark College was ninth at 648 (326-322).

Each golf season, the NWC men's championship includes three tournaments -- the NWC Fall Classic, the NWC Spring Classic, and the NWC Tournament. The Fall Classic and the Spring Classic are each worth one-fourth of the title, while the NWC Tournament is worth one-half of the title. The NWC Spring Classic and the NWC Tournament will be held during the spring semester.

Mason Remington from Whitman topped the individual standings at 9-under par 135, as he finished the first day at 1-under 71 and then shot an 8-under 64 on Sunday. He won by three strokes over a tie for second at 138. Jacob Smissen of Linfield and Cade Streeter from Puget Sound shared the tie for second, as Smissen shot 66-72 and Streeter carded 68-70. Fourth place went to Truman Fletcher from George Fox at 139 (73-66).

Brendan Borck of GFU and Matthew Durkin of Whitworth tied for fifth place with scores of 4-under par 140. Borck shot 68-72 while Durkin recorded two rounds of 70. Seventh place also was a two-way tie, as Drury Brock (69-72) from Pacific and Jacob Rawley (70-71) of Whitworth each shot 3-under 141. Smith of Willamette and Sam Pauly from Whitworth tied for ninth place at 2-under par 142. Ben Korach of Pacific finished in 11th place at 1-under par 143 with rounds of 67 and 76.

In addition to Smith, Willamette's team included Alexander Papajohn (Fy., Parker, CO/Lutheran HS), Brock Olson (So., Kirkland, WA/Lake Washington HS), Jack McMullin (Sr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS), and Preston Lightle (Fy., Victoria, BC, Canada/Belmont Senior Secondary School). Papajohn, who shot a 77 in the first round, recorded the Bearcats' low round of the tournament with a 70 on Sunday, as he finished at 147 to tie for 18th place.

Olson shot 148 for the tournament as he earned rounds of 73 and 75. McMullin completed the two rounds at 153 with a 77 on the first day and an even-par 72 on the second day. Lightle's overall score was 153 after shooting a 77 and a 76.

The Willamette men's golf team will conclude the fall season by competing at the NCAA Division III Preview in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the end of October. The tournament will be held on Sunday, Oct. 29 through Tuesday, Oct. 31.