By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Andrew Kibbee (Grad., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) of Willamette University shot a 3-under par 69 to tie for the led after 18 holes, as the Willamette Valley Cup in men's golf got underway on Saturday, March 18 at Creekside Golf Club. Kibbee was tied for first place with Jonas Kim from the University of Puget Sound. Led by Kibbee's strong play, the Bearcats held first place with a team score of 1-over par 289.

Action at the Willamette Valley Cup will conclude on Sunday, March 19 with the second round. Tee times will begin at 11:10 a.m. (PDT).

Kibbee shot four birdies and just one bogey on his way to a 69. Kim achieved his score of 69 with an eagle on the 12th hole plus four birdies, but he also had three bogeys. The two golfers were one stroke in front of Aaron Stroem of Whitworth University, who was in third place with a 2-under par 70.

Three golfers, including Alex Weirth (Sr., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy) and Riley Lankford (Grad., Pilot Rock, OR/Pilot Rock HS) from Willamette, were tied for fourth place at 1-under par 71. Also sharing fourth place was Ricky Reisner from Southern Oregon University. Weirth was 2-under on the front nine, while Lankford and Reisner each finished 3-under on the back nine.

Four competitors were tied for seventh place at even-par 72. They were, Jack McMullin (Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) from Willamette, Sam Pauly and Jacob Rawley of Whitworth, and Caden Stubbs of Bushnell University (Ore.).

Willamette was represented by two teams. The "A" team included Kibbee, Weirth, Brock Olson (Fy., Kirkland, WA/Lake Washington HS), Lucas Paul (Fy., Salem, OR/South Salem HS), and Paxton Jones (So., Wellington, NZ/Scots College). Competing on Willamette's "B" team were Lankford, McMullin, Oliver Smith (Fy., San Jose, CA/Pioneer HS), Carlos Cortes Dequidt (Sr., San Diego, CA/Torrey Pines HS), and Hogan Smith (Jr., Prineville, OR/Crook County HS). 

The Willamette "A" team was in first place at 289. Whitworth's "A" team followed in second at 290 and the Willamette "B" team was in third at 295. Bushnell was fourth with a team score of 297, while Southern Oregon concluded the round in fifth place at 304. The standings also featured Puget Sound in sixth place at 307, George Fox University in seventh at 311, Whitworth's "B" team in eighth at 320, Pacific University in ninth at 322, and Lewis & Clark College in 10th with a score of 335.

In addition to Kibbee's 69 and Weirth's 70, other WU "A" team scores were Olson at 74, Paul at 75, and Jones at 77. For the WU "B" team, Lankford's 71 and McMullin's 72 were followed by Oliver Smith at 74, Cortes Dequidt at 78, and Hogan Smith at 88.

Willamette golfers Connor Murphy (Fy., Palm Desert, CA/Xavier College Prep) and Andrew Cerqui (So., Seattle, WA/Bishop Blanchet HS) were competing as individuals. Murphy carded a 75 and Cerqui shot an 82.