Friday, February 28, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore. – The spring season of Great Northwest Athletic Conference men’s golf begins for Northwest Nazarene, Saint Martin’s, and Western Washington on Monday, while Simon Fraser got its 2014 slate under way earlier this week.

Following the women’s rounds at the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout this weekend in Vallejo, Calif., the NNU and SMU men will take to the course on Monday and Tuesday to wrap up the four-day event. Meanwhile, Western Washington will participate in the St. Edwards Invitational in Austin, Texas.

The SFU men got their spring season started last weekend at the Cal State San Bernardino Invitational. Senior Mike Belle finished tied for fourth with a 4-over 214 (73-70-71), helping the Clan to a tie for seventh place as a team at 889 (293-298-298).

Over the winter, WWU junior Kyle Schrader participated in the Patriot All-America Invitational, finishing in a tie for 28th place with a 10-over 220 (76-72-72). The three-day event wrapped up on Dec. 31, 2013, and it featured 83 of the top collegiate golfers across the nation.

Through the fall season, Montana State Billings leads the GNAC with an average of 298.0 over eight rounds, but the field is tight with all five teams separated by less than seven strokes.

NNU sits in second with an average of 299.6 over nine rounds, and SFU is less than a stroke behind at 300.2 over 11 rounds. WWU is in fourth at 302.2 over 10 rounds, with SMU rounding out the field at 305.8 over nine rounds.

Brad Harrelson was MSUB’s top golfer in the fall, averaging 72.9 and finishing in the top five in three of the four events he participated in. Harrelson logged a low round score of 66 at the WWU Invitational on Sept. 23, 2013, and Marcus Drange also broke the 70 mark with a 68 at the MSUB Yellowjacket Fall Invitational. 

MSUB gets its spring season underway with the Yellowjacket Spring Invitational, set for March 20-21.

NNU senior Nick Hardy is averaging 72.0 over nine rounds, and logged perhaps the GNAC performance of the fall as he won the Sonoma State Invitational on Oct. 14-15, 2013. Hardy shot a five-under par 211 (74-69-68) at the event, winning the Crusaders’ first individual title since NNU joined NCAA Division II competition. Michael Delie also logged a top-five finish for NNU in the fall session, and heads into the spring with an average of 73.8 over four rounds.

WWU’s Mark Strickland currently paces the Vikings with an average of 75.5 over 10 rounds, and he logged a low-round score of 67 in the fall. Schrader is close behind at 75.8 over 14 rounds, and Chris Hatch (67) and Jack Kelly (68) have each broke the single-round mark of 70 so far this season.

A strong fall from Belle helped Simon Fraser to a 300.2 average, as Belle has logged a personal total of 73.8 over 11 rounds. Bret Thompson notched the low round of the fall for SFU with a 69, and he and Belle have each finished in the top-10 twice and the top-five once in three and four events, respectively. 

After beginning its spring season earlier this week, SFU swings back into action at the Notre Dame de Namur Invitational on March 10-11 in Belmont, Calif. 

SMU received strong performances from Ryan Pickthorn and Ryan Baumgart in the fall, who each made top-10 appearances. Jared Rasmussen currently leads with an average of 75.3, and Pickthorn, Ben Fosnick, and Austin Spicer each shot single-round lows of 69.

SPRING SCHEDULE: MARCH – 3-4: NNU, SMU at Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout; WWU at St. Edwards Invitational. 7 – NNU vs College of Idaho (Dual Match). 9-10 – SFU at NDNU Invitational. 20-21 – MSUB Yellowjacket Spring Invitational. 24-25 – SFU, NNU, SMU, WWU at Cal Baptist Invitational. 31-Apr. 1 – NNU Invitational.

SPRING RESULTS

CSU San Bernardino Invitational (Feb. 23-24 at Arrowhead CC, San Bernardino, CA): Team Scores – 1. Chico State 855 (282-281-292) T-7. Simon Fraser 889 (293-298-298) Individuals (Top 30) – 1. Lee Gearhart, Chico State 209 (71-70-68) T-4. Michael Belle, SFU 214 (73-70-71) T-20. John Mlikotic, SFU 219 (74-70-75).