By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

POST FALLS, Idaho -- Willamette University was in fourth place in the team standings as the first round of the 2023 Northwest Conference Spring Classic in men's golf ended on Saturday, April 1 at The Links Golf Club. Andrew Kibbee (Grad., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) of Willamette was tied for 10th place, while Alex Weirth (Sr., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy) and Brock Olson (Fy., Kirkland, WA/Lake Washington HS) were tied for 13th.

All 43 golfers competing at the NWC Spring Classic had to battle inclement weather and difficult conditions, including heavy wind, rain, and hail. Only one player finished the round below par. The NWC Spring Classic will end with the second round, set for Sunday, April 2.

Whitman College topped the leaderboard for the team standings with a score of 10-over par 298 after Saturday's 18 holes. Whitworth University was second at 306, Linfield University was third at 310, and Willamette was fourth at 313. George Fox University owned fifth place at 319, while the University of Puget Sound was sixth at 331, Pacific Lutheran University was seventh at 335, Pacific University was eighth at 342, and Lewis & Clark College was ninth at 352.

The NWC Spring Classic is one of three tournaments used to determine the overall Northwest Conference champion each season. The NWC Spring Classic is worth one-fourth of the title and the NWC Fall Classic is worth one-fourth of the title. The NWC Tournament, set for April 22-23, is worth one-half of the title. Willamette took second place at the NWC Fall Classic, while Whitworth placed first and Whitman was third.

On Saturday at the Spring Classic, Tom Hoyne of Whitman led the individual standings with a score of 3-under par 69. He held a four-stroke lead over Trevor Price from Linfield, who was in second place at 1-over par 73. Oliver Nordberg of Whitworth was third at 74 and three golfers were tied for fourth at 75. They were Brenden Borck from George Fox, Joshua Clogston of Pacific Lutheran, and Sam Pauly of Whitworth.

A three-way for seventh featured scores of 76 by Alex Knoc and Max Ray-Keil of Whitman as well as Riley Lynch from Linfield. Kibbee of Willamette shot a 77 and was tied for 10th place with Whitman golfers Parker Krovisky and Ben Sweet. Weirth and Olson of Willamette both carded a 78 to share part of a four-way tie for 13th. They were tied with Jacob Rawley from Whitworth and Mason Rodewald of Pacific.

Also competing for the Bearcats were Oliver Smith (Fy., San Jose, CA/Pioneer HS) and Riley Lankford (Grad., Pilot Rock, OR/Pilot Rock HS). Smith shot an 80 and Lankford shot an 84.