By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications, (503) 370-6110

HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. -- The Willamette University men's golf team owns 10th place after the first 18 holes of the NCAA Division III Preview were completed on Sunday, Sept. 19 at the Mission Inn Resort. The tournament, featuring 24 of the top teams in NCAA Division III, will continue with the second round on Monday, Sept. 20 and the third round on Tuesday, Sept. 21.

Willamette golfers Austin Davis (Sr., Culver City, CA/Culver City HS) and Alex Weirth (Jr., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy) were two of seven players tied for ninth place at the end of the first round. Davis and Weirth both shot 2-under par 70. Henry Angier from Methodist University (N.C.) led the field with an 8-under 64. Jason Folker of Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.) was in second place at 6-under 66.

Three players were tied for third place at 4-under par 68. They were Cooper Hrabak from Methodist, Jimmy Morton from Illinois Wesleyan University, and Max Ullan of Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.). In a three-way tie for sixth place at 69 were Ethan Wilkins of Illinois Wesleyan, Andrew Chi from Methodist, and Max Schwarz of Emory University (Ga.)

Andrew Kibbee (Sr., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) of Willamette shot a 77, while teammate Jack McMullin (So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) carded a 78. A total of 122 golfers are competing in the tournament.

"The guys played great," Willamette Head Men's Golf Coach Patrick Daugherty said. "It's a stacked field, and we held our won. Every guy contributed."

Methodist topped the team standings after the first round with a score of 15-under par 273. Huntingdon College (Ala.) followed in second place a 4-under par 284. Carnegie Mellon and Emory were tied for third place at 287, while Greensboro College (N.C.) was fifth at 289.