By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

BANKS, Ore. -- Willamette University ended the first day of the Pacific Spring Invitational in second place out of six teams, as the opening round concluded on Saturday, Feb. 29 at the Quail Valley Golf Course. The Bearcats shot 299, led by Austin Davis (So., Culver City, CA/Culver City HS) who carded a 1-under-par 71 and was tied for fifth on the individual leaderboard. The second round of the tournament is set for Sunday, March 1 starting at 8 a.m. (PST).

George Fox University held first place in the team standings with a score of 281. Willamette followed at 299, with Linfield College in third place at 304. Pacific University, the tournament host, was fourth at 310, while Lewis & Clark College was fifth at 317 and the University of Puget Sound was sixth at 319.

Mason Koch of Linfield was at the top of the individual leaderboard with a 5-under-par 67. Braden Ash from Pacific was two strokes behind Koch in second place with a 69. Dante Heitschmidt of George Fox and Carson Linville of Linfield were tied for third at 70. Davis and Clayton Rajewich from GFU were tied for fifth at 71. Andrew Kibbee (So., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) of Willamette was seventh with an even-par 72.

Also competing toward the team score for Willamette were Alex Weirth (Fy., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy), Carlos Cortes Dequidt (Fy., San Diego, CA/Torrey Pines HS), and Tyler Shreve (So., Buffalo, WY/Buffalo HS). Newcomer Chikatsu Sagawara (So., Anjo, Japan/TIUA) golfed as an individual.

Weirth shot a 74 and was tied for 11th place. Cortes Desquidt and Shreve each carded an 82. Sagawara shot an 88.