By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SUNRIVER, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's golf team finished in third place at the 2016 Northwest Conference Tournament and took second place in the overall standings, as the NWC season concluded on Sunday, April 24 at Crosswater Golf Course. Bearcat golfer Peter Mitzel (Jr., Red Bluff, CA/Red Bluff HS) placed second in the NWC Tournament with a score of 1-under-par 143.
Whitworth University, which trailed the Bearcats by two strokes at the end of the first round, still trailed after nine hole on Sunday, but the Pirates played well over the final nine holes to win the tournament with a score of 593 (300-293), as they claimed the overall NWC title. The Pirates earned the NWC's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship.
Pacific Lutheran University shot well throughout the second round to finish the tournament in second place at 594, one stroke behind Whitworth. The Lutes shot 306 on Saturday, but led all teams on Sunday with a score of 288. Willamette finished third at 598 (298-300), but edged out the Lutes by a single point for second place in the overall NWC standings.
Other tournament finishes included Linfield College in fourth place at 612 (314-298), George Fox University in fifth place, one stroke behind Linfield at 613 (312-301), plus Lewis & Clark College in sixth at 622 (314-308), University of Puget Sound in seventh at 637 (316-321), Whitman College in eighth at 646 (330-316), and Pacific University in ninth at 689 (349-340).
In the overall NWC standings, Whitworth placed first with 31 points based on results at the NWC Fall Classic, NWC Spring Class and NWC Tournament. Willamette was second with 27 points, while Pacific Lutheran was third at 26 points. It was the second consecutive season that the Bearcats finished in second place behind the Pirates.
Linfield and George Fox tied for fourth place in the overall standings with 17.5 points. Lewis & Clark was sixth at 11 points, with Puget Sound in seventh at 10 points, Whitman in eighth at 4 points, and Pacific in ninth with no points.
Andrew Dodge of Whitworth won the individual title at the NWC Tournament with a 4-under-par 140. He shot even-par 72 in the first round and led all golfers with a 4-under 68 in the second round. He won by three strokes over Mitzel, who shot 71-72--143.
Third place was a tie between Justin Lee of Pacific Lutheran and Zach Mode from George Fox at 145. Lee shot 76-69, while Mode carded 75-70). Ryan Sturdivan of PLU was fifth at 147 (76-71) and Tyler McQuilkin of Whitworth took sixth at 148 (73-75).
Steven Rodriguez (Sr., Red Bluff, CA/Mercy HS) of Willamette shot 75-74 and was one of three golfers tied for seventh place at 149. Also tied for seventh were Oliver Rudnicki of Whitworth (75-74) and Kyle Drugge of Pacific Lutheran (76-73). Kyle Hargrave of Linfield placed 10th at 150 (77-73).
Also competing for the Bearcats this weekend were Clark Wilson (Jr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS), Chase Lamothe (Sr., Corvallis, OR/Corvallis HS) and Trent Jones (Fr., Kenmore, WA/Shorecrest HS). Wilson tied for 12th place with a score of 152 (75-77). Lamothe and Jones tied for 20th, as both carded a 156. Lamothe shot 79-77 and Jones registered 77-79.
Mitzel and Rodriguez earned First Team All-NWC honors based on their finishes at the NWC Fall Classic, NWC Spring Classic and the NWC Tournament. Lamothe was named Second Team All-NWC.
Joining Mitzel and Rodriguez as First Team selections were Dodge of Whitworth, Mode from GFU Lee from PLU, and Oliver Rudnicki from Whitworth. Dodge received NWC Player of the Year honors.
The 2015-16 NWC All-Conference Men's Golf Team is pictured below. For Willamette, Mitzel (First Team) is in the front row, second from the left, Rodriguez (First Team) is in the front row, fifth from the left, and Lamothe (Second Team) is in the back row, second from the left.
