By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

BANKS, Ore. -- Sam Hinton (So., Seaside, OR/Seaside HS) of Willamette University won the individual championship and the Bearcats earned the team title, as the Pacific Invitational in men's golf ended at the Quail Valley Golf Course on Sunday, Sept. 25. Hinton shot 3-under-par 139 for the 36-hole tournament to win by one stroke over Drew Groshong of Lewis & Clark College and Alex Plusquellec from George Fox University.

Willamette topped the team standings with an overall score of 570. The Bearcats carded a score of 287 in the first round on Saturday and improve to 283 in the second round on Sunday. The men's tournament played at 6,351 yards with a par of 71.

The Bearcats won by 16 strokes. George Fox took second place at 586 (293-293), as the Bruins narrowly edged out Lewis & Clark. The Pioneers placed third at 587 (294-293). Linfield College was fourth at 591 (294-297), Pacific University was fifth at 622 (311-311), and Whtiman College took sixth with a score of 624 (325-299)

Hinton shot a 69 in the first round and followed up with a 70 in the second round. His 69 tied Plusquellec, Lucas Balala from Linfield, and Mason Koch of George Fox for low round of the tournament. Balala shot 69 on Saturday, while Plusquellec and Koch shot 69 on Sunday.

Groshong and Plusquellec tied for second place at 140. Groshong recorded 70-70, while Plusquellec earned rounds of 71 and 69.

Willamette's Kenneth Sheldon (So., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) achieved fourth place at 142 after shooting a par 71 in each round. Balala and Koch tied for fifth place, as Balala carded 69-74 and Koch shot 74-69.

Clark Wilson (Sr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) of Willamette was seventh at 144 (74-70). Peter Mitzel (Sr., Red Bluff, CA/Red Bluff HS), also for the Bearcats, placed eighth at 145 (73-72). Michael Bove from Lewis & Clark was ninth at 146, as he shot 74-72.

Collin Fuller (Sr./Jr., Grants Pass, OR/Grants Pass HS) from WU and Corey Marineau of Pacific shared 10th place at 147. Fuller shot a 71 in the first round and a 76 in the second round. Marineau registered rounds of 74 and 73.

Also competing for the Bearcats was Trent Jones (So., Kenmore, WA/Shorecrest HS), who tied for 14th place. Jones shot 149 as he carded 75-74.

Willamette will be back in action on Saturday, Oct. 8 and Sunday, Oct. 9 at the Northwest Conference Fall Classic, hosted by the Bearcats at Emerald Valley Golf Resort in Creswell, Oregon. Action will get underway at 10 a.m. (PDT) each day.

The NWC Fall Classic is one of three tournaments that count toward the overall NWC Championship. The NWC Fall Classic and the NWC Spring Classic each count for one-fourth of the title, while the NWC Tournament counts for one-half.