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

BEND, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's golf team is in second place following the first round of the Willamette Spring Thaw on Saturday, April 18 at Broken Top Club. Ryan Kukula (Sr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) of Willamette is in fourth place.

Linfield College leads the team standings with a score of 1-over-par 289. Willamette is second at 310, with George Fox University in third at 320 and Pacific University in fourth at 335. Lewis & Clark College did not enter a full team.

The individual leader is Kevin Kawasaki of Linfield with a 3-under par 69. Logan Munson of Linfield is second at 72, and Logan Davis from Linfield is third at 73. Kukula follows in fourth at 74. Taylor Klopp of Linfield is fifth with a 75. Drew Groshong of Lewis & Clark is sixth after carding a 76.

Peter Mitzel (So., Red Bluff, CA/Red Bluff HS) of Willamette was tied with James Seeley of Linfield for seventh place at 77. Clark Wilson (So., Ocean Park, WA/ Ilwaco HS) and Collin Fuller (So., Grants Pass, OR/Grants Pass HS) each shot a 79 for the Bearcats and were tied for 11th.

Also for Willamette, Stephan Bartz (Jr., San Francisco, CA/San Francisco Univ. HS) and Jonathan Ross (Sr., Tukwila, WA/Foster HS) both carded an 80, while Steven Rodriguez (Jr., Red Bluff, CA/Mercy HS) shot an 81. Each team is limited to five scoring golfers, so Fuller and Bartz are competing as individuals.

The tournament will conclude with the final 18 holes on Sunday, April 19. Tee times for the Bearcats are 10:45 a.m. for Bartz and Fuller, 11:12 a.m. for Rodriguez, 11:21 a.m. for Ross, 11:30 a.m. for Wilson, 11:39 a.m. for Mitzel and 11:48 a.m. for Kukula.