By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- The Willamette University men's golf team finished the first round of the Northwest Conference Spring Classic with a score of even-par 288 to lead all teams at the Wine Valley Golf Club on Saturday, April 9. WU golfers Trent Jones (Fr., Kenmore, WA/Shorecrest HS) and Chase Lamothe (Sr., Corvallis, OR/Corvallis HS) were tied for second place in the individual standings.

Willamette held a three-stroke lead over Whitworth University and a four-stroke lead over Pacific Lutheran University. Whitworth shot 291 to own second place by a single stroke. Pacific Lutheran was third at 292. George Fox University followed in fourth at 296.

Linfield College was fifth at 306 and University of Puget Sound was sixth at 317. Lewis & Clark College held seventh place at 319, with Pacific University in eighth at 328 and Whitman College in ninth at 333. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, April 10 with the final 18 holes.

Austin Billeter of Whitworth shot a 4-under-par 68 to earn a three-stroke advantage at the top of the leaderboard. Jones and Lamothe of Willamette, plus Ryan Fenton of Pacific Lutheran and Lyle Rudnicki from Whitworth, were all tied for second place at 71.

Clark Wilson (Jr., Ocean Park, WA/Ilwaco HS) from Willamette was one of three goflers tied for sixth place. He shot a 72, which matched the scores of Mitchell Baldridge from PLU and Zach Mode from George Fox. Caleb An of GFU was ninth with a 73.

A total of 29 golfers shot under 80 in the field of 45 competitors.

Willamette's team score included the results from Jones, Lamothe and Wilson, plus a 74 provided by Steven Rodriguez (Sr., Red Bluff, CA/Mercy HS). Rodriguez was one of four golfers tied for 10th place. Peter Mitzel (Jr., Red Bluff, CA/Red Bluff HS) of Willamette shot a 75 and was tied with two athletes for 14th place.

Each year, the NWC uses a combination of three tournaments to determine the overall team champion. The NWC Fall Classic is worth 8 points or one-fourth of the title and the NWC Spring Classic is worth 8 points and another quarter of the title.  The NWC Tournament, set for April 23-24 this season, counts for one-half of the title and provides 16 points to the winner.

Willamette took second place at the NWC Fall Classic, which places the Bearcats second in the overall NWC standings with 7 points. Whitworth is in the lead with 8 points after winning the Fall Classic. Pacific Lutheran placed third at the Fall Classic and has 6 points.

All of the NWC Spring Classic competitors will tee off at 9 a.m. (PDT) on Sunday to begin the second round. Jones will tee off with Billeter of Whitworth and Fenton of PLU on the 10th hole. Lamothe will be paired with Baldridge from Pacific Lutheran and Lyle Rudnicki of Whitworth, also at the 10th hole.

Wilson will start with a group at the 11th hole. Rodriguez and Mitzel will get underway with separate groups at the 12th hole.