Both the men and women’s golf teams were busy this weekend. The two teams competed at Quail Valley golf course in Banks, Ore.,  on Sept. 24 and 25 for the Pacific Invitational.

On the first day of the competition, the Linfield ladies placed fifth with 343 strokes total, which was 55 strokes above par. The team was only 27 strokes behind George Fox University, the winners of the day. Sophomore Alexandria Smith tied for seventh place, with George Fox freshman Whitney Jammerman, Willamette University freshman Nicole Smith and Whitman College sophomore Elaine Whaley.  Alexandria Smith ended the first day with eighty strokes, only eight above par. Sophomore Hannah Christianson was only four strokes behind Alexandria Smith, and she was placed eighteenth.

The men’s team led the way for the rest of the teams at the Pacific invitational on the first day. Sophomore A.J. Taylor finished the day with 69 strokes, earning him third place. Following right behind Taylor, senior Alex Fitch tied for fourth with two other golfers. Freshman Ryan Nolan eagled the 10th hole. The Wildcats beat Willamette out of first place by two strokes, and the team finished with as score of 283, putting the team five under par.

On the second day of the Pacific Invitational, the men’s team had four golfers in the top 10. Moving up to first place, Finch beat the rest with a score of 70. Following not too far behind him was Taylor, who finished 10 strokes behind Fitch in the overall.  As a team, the men came out with a combined 591, only 15 above par.

In the two competitions that the men’s team has participated in, they have taken first in both.

On day two of the competition, the women’s team finished with 337 strokes, earning them fourth place. The women’s top competitor was Christianson, who came in 12th place with 84 strokes. The entire team finished within 14 strokes of each other on the second day. The women’s team’s overall score for the whole invitational, was 680 strokes, which was 104 strokes above par. There were some major improvements during this competition for the women. One in particular was junior Brinn Hovde, who took eight strokes off her score the second day.

“Our team is looking strong this year. We are definitely starting out a higher level than we did last year so that is exciting for us to see,” Hovde said.

Some challenges the women’s team faces are the other teams they compete against Hovde mentioned in an email, “it is challenging because the teams in our conference have so much depth that we are competing against not one, but multiple other teams that are strong competitors throughout the season. We have what it takes so I’m excited for us to put it to work.”

The two teams have high hopes for the season.

Both team tees off Oct. 1 and 2, where the women’s team will be at the Whitman Invitational at the Wine Valley Golf Club and the men’s team compete at Spokane Country Club.
___________________________________________________________________Kaylyn Peterson/Sports editor
Kaylyn Peterson can be reached at [email protected].