Friday, November 1, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. – An individual tournament champion from Northwest Nazarene, a hole-in-one from a Western Washington freshman, and two teams with a sub-300 team average highlighted an eventful fall 2013 men’s golf season.

Nick Hardy of Northwest Nazarene set a school-record tying round of 68 en route to winning the Sonoma State Invitational on Oct. 15. Hardy’s effort helped him attain a 72.0 average for the fall, slating the senior as the top individual in the GNAC by almost one full stroke.

As a team, NNU was one of two GNAC schools to average less than 300 per round, checking in at 299.6 over nine rounds played this fall. Joining Hardy in the top-10 was Michael Delie, whose average of 73.8 over four rounds was the third-best mark in the GNAC. 

Brad Harrelson was one of four golfers from Montana State Billings in the top-10 in scoring average this fall, as no other school had more individuals amongst conference leaders. Joining Harrelson in the top-10 were Austin Westphal (74.3 average in 10 rounds), Gage Huft (74.6 in 10) and Marcus Drange (75.4 in 10). 

Harrelson averaged a 72.9 over 10 rounds, helping the Yellowjackets to a team low-round average of 298.0 through eight rounds so far in 2013. Harrelson’s round of 66 at the Western Washington Invitational in September was the lowest single round of any GNAC golfer this fall and the fourth-best single round in MSUB history.

Simon Fraser finished the fall with an average of 301.6, thanks in large part to a trio of golfers who averaged less than 75 over the Clan’s eight rounds this fall. Kevin Vigna (74.4 in five rounds), Michael Belle (74.7 in six) and Bret Thompson (74.9 in eight) are all in the top-10 in the GNAC.

Thompson was the highest Clan individual finisher at a single event, as his two-under par 142 at the InterWest Classic in Chico, Calif., led him to a third-place overall finish. Thompson and Belle each earned Red Lion Golfer of the Week honors once this fall.

With a perennial nationally ranked reputation, Western Washington entered the fall with high expectations after a third place finish at the NCAA Finals last season. The Vikings were solid overall, averaging 302.2 over 10 rounds, but placed just one individual in the top-10.

Mark Strickland shot a 75.5 over 10 rounds for WWU, finishing as high as tied for 12th at the InterWest Classic with a two-round total of 147 (72-75).

WWU’s underclassmen made considerable noise this fall, as sophomore Jack Kelly finished tied for fourth at the Western Washington Invitational Sept. 23-24, and freshman Chris Hatch nailed a hole-in-one during his final round at the CSU Monterey Bay Invite to push him to a 12th-place finish at 219 (75-77-67).

Hatch’s low round of 67 tied Strickland for the team-low this fall, and Kelly’s mark of 68 gave WWU three golfers with sub-70 rounds.

Rounding out the field this fall was Saint Martin’s, which averaged 305.8 over nine rounds. The Saints’ leading scorer amongst qualifiers was Ben Fosnick, who averaged 75.8 over 12 rounds with a low of 69 this fall.

Ryan Baumgart’s sixth-place finish at the Dennis Rose Invitational was the highest by a Saint this fall, while Ryan Pickthorn came in at seventh in the Western Washington Invitational in September.

The spring 2014 men’s golf season gets underway March 3, when Western Washington heads to Austin, Tex., for the St. Edwards Invitational, and Saint Martin’s travels to Hayward, Calif., for the CSU East Bay Invite.