Men's Golf Earns Bid to NCAA Championship, Smith is NWC Player of the Year

McMinnville, Ore. - Men's Golf shot a team score of 597 to finish in second place at the NWC Championship event hosted by Linfield University.  The Bearcats registered a score of 298 on day two of the tournament, besting their opening round score by one stroke.  While the team didn't win the event, they were named overall Northwest Conference Champions based on their performances across the three NWC events this year - Fall Classic, Spring Classic, and NWC Championship.  The Bearcats also earned the conference's automatic bid to the 2025 Division III Men's Golf National Championship.

Alexander Papajohn finished in fifth place overall in the event, shooting a two-day total of 146, recording a 74 on day two after an opening round 72.  Oliver Smith moved up to seventh place after consecutive rounds of 74 to finish at 4-over par for the tournament.  Brock Olson, who had tied Papajohn for low round on day one, shot a second-round 78 to finish in a tie for twelfth.  Jack Carr had the low round of the day for Willamette with a 1-over 73, besting his previous day's score by eight strokes, while Kyler Phillips improved by seven strokes on his round one score with a 77 on Monday.

Smith was named the NWC Player of the Year based on his performance at the three conference events.  Brock Olson and Smith were both named members of the All-NWC First Team and Alexander Papajohn earned Second Team recognition.  Head Coach Patrick Daugherty received Coach of the Year honors in a vote of the conference coaches.

The NCAA Men's Golf Championship is scheduled to take place at the Midvale Country Club in Penfield, New York, from May 20 - 23, 2025.  This will be the fifth time in the last six years that the team has competed in the championship event.