By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's golf team will host four other Northwest Conference squads at the Willamette Spring Thaw on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19 at Broken Top Club in Bend, Oregon. Joining the Bearcats will be George Fox University, Lewis & Clark College, Linfield College and Pacific University.

Willamette recently took third place at the NWC Spring Classic on April 11-12 at the Olympia Country & Golf Club in Olympia, Washington. The Bearcats shot 626 (310-316) during the 36-hole tournament. Whitworth University finished in first place at 608 (308-300), while Pacific Lutheran University was second at 625 (315-10), on stroke in front of Willamette.

Ryan Kukula (Sr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) of Willamette tied for fifth at the NWC Spring Classic after carding a 151 (75-76). Steven Rodriguez (Jr., Red Bluff, CA/Mercy HS) of WU was 12th at 156 (77-79).

Several other top golfers from the Spring Classic will be competing at Broken Top Club this weekend. Taylor Klopp (Sr.) of Linfield won the individual title at the Spring Classic with a score of 147 (76-71) and a playoff win over Samson Martinez of Whitworth. Andrew Grove (Jr.) of George Fox joined Kukula in a tie for fifth at 151, as Grove shot 78-73.

Caleb An (Fr.) of GFU was 13th in the Spring Classic at 157 (80-77). Logan Davis (Fr.) from Linfield was 14th at 158 (81.77).

Kukula and Rodriguez are golfing for the Bearcats this weekend. Also competing for Willamette are Jonathan Ross (Sr., Tukwila, WA/Foster HS), Clark Wilson (So., Ocean Park, WA/ Ilwaco HS) and Peter Mitzel (So., Red Bluff, CA/Red Bluff HS).

Willamette won last year's Spring Thaw at Broken Top Club with a score of 584 (290-294). The tournament featured all of this year's teams, plus Corban University and Whitman College. Kukula won medalist honors at 136 with a 67 and a 69 for 8-under-par. Ross was third at 146 (73-73) and Rodriguez tied for fourth at 149 (74-75).

Kukula will tee off first for Willamette at this year's Spring Thaw at 10 a.m. (PDT) on Saturday. Rodriguez will tee off at 10:09 a.m., followed by Ross at 10:18 a.m., Wilson at 10:27 a.m. and Mitzel at 10:36 a.m. The tournament will feature eight threesomes and two foursomes for a total of 32 golfers.