The men’s tournament at the George Fox Invitational at the Chehalem Glenn golf course took place on Oct. 9 and 10. The team saw positive results on the first day, beating Pacific University and placing first with a combined score of 302.
Senior Yutaro Sakamoto shot a 72, which shot him to first place, and junior Alex Fitch tied for second place, with Pacific senior Max Bonk at a score of 74.
On the second day, despite the rain, Sakamoto remained in the lead with a score of 75 and received medalist honors.
Other Wildcats placed in the top 10. Fitch placed third, and senior Evan Wallace held a two-way tie for fourth with 13 over par 157. Freshman A.J. Taylor tied for seventh with 19 over par 163.
In the end, Linfield won with a total score of 620. Pacific came in second 18 strokes behind. Pacific Lutheran University came in third with 649.
“We were not surprised by the results because we expect to win every time we play,” Sakamoto said.
The women played at the Whitworth Invitational at the Spokane Country Club on Oct. 10 and 11 in Spokane, Wash.
Senior Brynn Hurdus led the Wildcats, placing second with six over par 79.
“I really look up to Brynn as a player and teammate, and I am so proud of her performance at this tournament,” sophomore Brinn Hovde said. “She had an outstanding round, and I know she has many more to come.”
By the second day, Hurdus shot her career best with a solid back nine and received medalist honors.
“Hurdus had four birdies in the second half of the day, and nearly had a hole-in-one on the 17th hole,” according to the Linfield athletics website.
Hovde and freshman Hannah Christianson made the top 10 with Hovde in sixth place and Christianson in seventh place.
“[I was] ecstatic that we were able to turn it around after the first day and give it our best the following day to win the tournament,” Christianson said.
The team won the tournament with a combined score of 677, beating Whitworth by one point. Puget Sound obtained third place with 729.
“Whitworth won conference last year, so to beat them on their home course really illustrates the growth we’ve had in this season alone and illustrates what we are capable of,” Hurdus said.
The women’s team plays at the Northwest Conference Fall Classic on Oct. 23 and 24 at Lost Tracks Golf Club in Bend, Ore.
The men’s team plays in Walla Walla, Wash. at the Whitman Invitational on Oct. 16 and 17.
Tim Marl/Staff reporter
Tim Marl can be reached at [email protected].
