By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

ALOHA, Ore. -- Willamette University completed the first day of the Northwest Conference Fall Classic in fourth place, as the 36-hole tournament started at The Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club on Saturday, March 27. Andrew Kibbee (Jr., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) of WU was tied for fourth place in the individual standings at the end of Saturday's 18 holes. The Fall Classic, which was postponed by COVID-19 last semester, will conclude with 18 holes on Sunday, March 28.

Pacific Lutheran University topped the team standings with a score of 293. Whitworth University and George Fox University were tied for second place at 299. Willamette was just six strokes behind the Pirates and Bruins with a score of 305. Linfield University was fifth at 309 and the University of Puget Sound was sixth at 316. Whitman College owned seventh place at 318, while Pacific University was eighth at 322, and Lewis & Clark College was ninth at 369.

The individual leader after the first day was Mason Koch of George Fox, who to a 3-under par 69. Reilly Hagarty of Whitworth and Jordan Lau from Pacific Lutheran were tied for second place at 2-under par 70.

Kibbee and Dante Heitschmidt of GFU shared fourth place at 1-under par 71. Kibbee shot an eagle 2 on the par 4 seventh hole. He also had two birdies and three bogeys during the round.

Caden Arnold from PLU was sixth overall with an even-par 72. Reyn Hoshide from Puget Sound and Max Ray-Keil from Whitman were tied for seventh at 73.

Alex Weirth (So., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy) of Willamette carded a 75 and was one of three golfers tied for 10th place. Riley Lankford (So./Fy., Pilot Rock, OR/Pilot Rock HS) shot a 79 for the Bearcats and Austin Davis (Jr., Culver City, CA/Culver City HS) registered an 80. Jack McMullin (Fy., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS), who also competed for Willamette, shot an 81.