By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University will be competing in the battle for first place in the Northwest Conference this weekend during the 2023 NWC Tournament on Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23 at the Oregon Golf Association (OGA) Golf Course in Woodburn, Oregon. The NWC Tournament is one of three events used to determine the overall Northwest Conference team title.
The NWC Fall Classic is worth one-fourth of the championship and the NWC Spring Classic is worth one-fourth of the title. The NWC Tournament is worth one-half of the championship. Willamette took second place at the NWC Fall Classic, while Whitworth University placed first and Whitman College was third. At the NWC Spring Classic, Willamette was third, while Whitman placed first and Whitworth was second.
After two of the three events, Whitworth is in first place with 15 points in the NWC standings. Whitman is second at 14 points, Willamette is third at 13 points, and Linfield University is fourth with 10 points. Pacific Lutheran University is fifth with 6.5 points, George Fox University is sixth at 5 points, the University of Puget Sound is seventh at 4.5 points, Pacific University is eighth at 4 points, and Lewis & Clark College is ninth with no points. The winner of the NWC Tournament will receive 16 points, with points awarded on a 14-12-10-8-etc. basis to the other teams according to their finish.
If Willamette wins the tournament, the Bearcats will clinch at least a tie for the overall title, but a second place finish by Whitworth would lead to a tie, forcing a tie-breaker. Willamette needs to finish in front of Whitworth and Whitman in order to win or tie for the title, even if the teams aren't in the top three places. In order to win the title outright, the Bearcats need to finish in front of Whitworth and Whitman with at least one team between the Bearcats and Whitworth.
The NWC Champion receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Golf Championship. Willamette has won the past three NWC Championships (2019, 2021, 2022). No champion was crowned in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Golfing for the Bearcats this weekend will be Andrew Kibbee (Grad., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS), Alex Weirth (Sr., Port Orchard, WA/Crosspoint Academy), Jack McMullin (Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS), Brock Olson (Fy., Kirkland, WA/Lake Washington HS), and Oliver Smith (Fy., San Jose, CA/Pioneer HS). Weirth placed third at the NWC Spring Classic on April 1-2 after shooting a career-low round of 6-under par 66 over the final 18 holes at The Links Golf Club in Post Falls, Idaho. Weirth shot an overal score of even-par 144. Olson carded a score of 148 to tie for 10th place.
On Saturday, as the NWC Tournament gets underway, Kibbee will tee off at 9:27 a.m. (PDT). Weirth is set to start his round at 9:36 a.m., with McMullin teeing off at 9:45 a.m., Olson beginning at 9:54 a.m., and Smith completing the lineup with a 10:03 a.m. tee time. Sunday's round will start with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.
