By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

McMINNVILLE, Ore. -- Willamette University won the Wildcat Invitational in men's golf on Sunday, Sept. 25 as the final round concluded at Michelbook Country Club. The Bearcats won the 36-hole event by three strokes over Whitman College, which began the day tied with the Bearcats for the lead.

The successful finish by Willamette also included Alex Weirth (Sr., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy) winning the individual championship in a four-way playoff that also included teammate Jack McMullin (Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) and two other golfers. McMullin earned second place, ultimately falling to Weirth on the third extra hole.

At the end of 36 holes, Weirth and McMullin were tied for first place along with Isaac Janzen of Whitworth University and Alexander Knox from Whitman. All four shot 143, with Weirth carding 71-72, McMullin shooting 70-73, Janzen earning 71-72, and Knox recording 68-75. The 4-under par 68 by Knox in the first round was the low 18-hole score of the tournament.

Janzen and Knox were the first two golfers to be eliminated from the playoff. They finished tied for third place. On the third playoff hole, Weirth defeated McMullin for the victory.

"It was not just a good win, but really a good showing by the whole team," Willamette Head Men's Golf Coach Patrick Daugherty commented. "We had 10 guys representing two teams, and finished first and fifth, which is pretty impressive.

Willamette's "A" team completed a tremendous comeback to claim the title.

"I liked the way we started, but somewhere in the middle it got sideways," Daugherty noted. "At one point, we were 12 strokes out of first and dropped to third behind Whitworth. Our team for being half returners and half first-years is really mature, and it showed on the back nine and coming down the last four-hold stretch by making 12 birdies overall and six in the last four holes. It was an awesome effort and the team showed even better attitudes this weekend."

Willamette shot 581 (290-291) for the win. Whitman registered a score of 584 (290-294) to take second place. Whitworth was third at 588 (292-296), with host Linfield University in fourth at 602 (305-297). Willamette's "B" team was fourth at 618 (312-306), Whitworth's "B" team was sixth at 625 (314-311), the University of Puget Sound followed in seventh at 628 (305-323), Pacific University placed eighth at 632 (312-320), George Fox University took ninth at 641 (319-322), and Lewis & Clark College was 10th at 680 (339-341).

The four-golfer playoff topped the leaderboard, while fifth place went to Tom Hoyne of Whitman with a score of 144 (73-71). Parker Krovisky of Whitman was sixth at 145 (74-71) and Riley Linch from host Linfield was seventh at 146 (70-76). Paxton Jones (So., Wellington, NZ/Scots College) of Willamette placed eighth at 147 with a 75 on Saturday and an even-par 72 on Sunday.

Lucas Paul (Fy., Salem, OR/South Salem HS) tied for 11th place with two other golfers at 149. Paul carded scores of 75 and 74. Andrew Kibbee (Grad., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) from Willamette finished 14th at 150 (74-76).

For the Willamette "B" team, Riley Lankford (Grad., Pilot Rock, OR/Pilot Rock HS) led the way with a score of 154 (79-75). Carlos Cortes Dequidt (Sr., San Diego, CA/Torrey Pines HS) and Brock Olson (Fy., Kirkland, WA/Lake Washington HS) each shot 156, with Cortes Dequidt shooting 79-77 and Olson recording 76-80. Andrew Cerqui (So., Seattle, WA/Bishop Blanchet HS) concluded the tournament at 157 (83-74) after improving by nine strokes in the second round. Oliver Smith (Fy., San Jose, CA/Pioneer HS) shot 160 (78-82).

It was the second tournament in a week for most of Willamette's golfers. Willamette entered an "A" team at the Bulldog Fall Invitational hosted by the University of Redlands (Calif.) on Monday, Sept. 19 and Tuesday, Sept. 20, while a "B" team played at the Pacific Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 17 and Sunday, Sept. 18.

"Short weeks, long travels, long weekends, practice, classes, along with studies, make our student-athletes unbelievable," Daugherty said. "I am constantly amazed by what they can accomplish."