Friday, September 27, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – The men’s golf season teed off with all six GNAC men’s golf teams opening their seasons at the Saint Martin’s Invitational in DuPont, Washington, and the Western Washington Invitational in Bellingham, Washington.

Simon Fraser led the way at the Saint Martin’s Invitational, winning with a score of 31-under-par 833, 16 strokes ahead of second-place Dixie State. The Clan placed three players in the top 10. Sophomore Ryan Stolys paced SFU, finishing in fourth place with a score of 10-under-par 206. Sophomore Aidan Goodfellow finished a stroke behind Stolys to finish in fifth place.

The top GNAC performers at the Saint Martin’s Invitational were Western Washington senior Ethan Casto and Northwest Nazarene junior Isaac Emerson, who finished tied for second place with scores of 11-under-par 205. Casto and Emerson shared Men’s Golf Player of the Week honors.

Saint Martin’s and Western Washington tied for third place at the Saint Martin’s Invitational with scores of 8-under-par 856.

Concordia finished in 11th place at the Saint Martin’s Invitational but turned things around on Monday and Tuesday to win the Western Washington Invitational with a score of 20-under-par 844, four strokes ahead of second-place Simon Fraser.

The Cavaliers placed three players in the top 10 with the fourth scoring player finishing tied for 12th place. The top finisher for the Cavs was junior Riley Killip, who finished tied for fourth place with a score of 6-under-par 210.

Western Washington’s Casto continued his hot start to the season, capturing the individual title on the Vikings’ home course with a score of 10-under-par 206. Casto was tied with Simon Fraser’s Isaac Lee after the third round but won on the second hole of a playoff.

All six teams will be idle until gathering at the Columbia Edgewater Golf Club on Oct. 7 for the Concordia Invitational.

LAST WEEK’S TOURNAMENTS
Saint Martin’s Invitational (Sept. 20-21 at The Home Course, DuPont, Wash.): Team - 1, Simon Fraser, 833. T3, Saint Martin’s, 856. T3, Western Washington, 856. 8, Northwest Nazarene, 862. 11, Concordia, 871. 13, Montana State Billings, 891. Individuals - T2, Ethan Casto, Western Washington, 205. T2, Isaac Emerson, Northwest Nazarene, 205. 4, Ryan Stolys, Simon Fraser, 206. 5, Aidan Goodfellow, Simon Fraser, 207. T8, Scott Kerr, Simon Fraser, 210.

Western Washington Invitational (Sept. 23-24 at Bellingham Golf & Country Club, Bellingham, Wash.): Team - 1, Concordia, 844. 2, Simon Fraser, 848. 8, Western Washington, 877. 11, Saint Martin’s 889. 15, Montana State Billings, 904. 17, Northwest Nazarene, 909. Individuals - 1, Ethan Casto, Western Washington, 206. 2, Isaac Lee, Simon Fraser, 206. T4, Riley Killip, Concordia, 210. T7, Jorgen Viken, Concordia, 211. T9, Jaxson Daskalos, Concordia, 212.

AROUND THE GNAC
CONCORDIA
•Concordia finished in 11th place in the team standings at the Saint Martin’s Invitational before winning the team title at the Western Washington Invitational with a team score of 844, edging out Simon Fraser by four strokes.

• Freshman Sebastian Lundberg had the best individual performance for the Cavaliers at the Saint Martin’s Invitational, finishing the tournament tied for 23rd place with a score of even-par 216.

• The Cavaliers placed three players in the top-10 at the Western Washington Invitational as all four scoring players finished in the top-12. Junior Riley Killip led the way for the Cavs with a score of 6-under-par 210 to finished tied for fourth place in the individual standings.

• Freshman Jorgen Viken finished tied for seventh place with a score of 5-under-par 211 at the WWU Invitational. Senior Jaxson Daskalos finished one stroke behind, tied for ninth place with a score of 4-under-par 212.

• Freshman Viktor Olund finished just outside of the top-10 at the WWU Invitational but still impressed with a score of 3-under-par 213 to finish tied for 12th place.

• Up next, the Cavs will host the Concordia Invitational at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Oregon. The tournament will run from Oct. 7-8.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings finished in 13th place at the Saint Martin’s Invitational with a score of 891.

• The Yellowjackets finished in 15th place at the Western Washington Invitational with a score of 904.

• Senior Payton Stott had the best individual performance at the Saint Martin’s Invitational, finishing tied for 28th place with a score of 217. Senior Garrett Woodin finished tied for 34th with a score of 218.

• Junior Caleb Trost had the best individual performance at the Western Washington Invitational, finishing tied for 22nd with a score of 217.

• Up next, Montana State Billings will compete at the Concordia Invitational in Portland, Oregon. The tournament will run from Oct. 7-8.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene finished in eighth place at the Saint Martin’s Invitational with a score of 862 then finished in 17th at the Western Washington Invitational with a score of 909.

• Junior Isaac Emerson led the Nighthawks at the Saint Martin’s Invitational, tying for second place with Western Washington’s Ethan Casto with a score of 11-under-par 205. Emerson and Casto shared Men’s Golf Player of the Week honors.

• Senior Henry Bernard finished tied for 16th place at the Saint Martin’s Invitational with a score of 3-under-par 213. Freshman Grayson Giboney finished a stroke behind, tied for 19th with a score of 2-under-par 214.

• Giboney had the best individual performance at the Western Washington Invitational, finishing tied for 53rd place with a score of 225.

• Up next, Northwest Nazarene will compete at the Concordia Invitational in Portland, Oregon, from Oct. 7-8.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• The Saints finished tied for third place at its own Saint Martin’s Invitational with a score of 856 then finished in 11th at the Western Washington Invitational with a score of 889.

• Sophomores Dennis Geissler and Max Turnquist led the Saints at the Saint Martin’s Invitational, finishing tied for 12th place with scores of 4-under-par 212. Junior Tyler Fitchett finished a stroke behind, finishing tied for 16th with a score of 3-under-par 213.

• Fitchett had the best individual performance for the Saints at the Western Washington Invitational, finishing tied for 14th place with a score of 2-under-par 214.

• Up next, Saint Martin’s will compete at the Concordia Invitational from Oct. 7-8 in Portland, Oregon.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser opened its season with a win at the Saint Martin’s Invitational with a team score of 833, 16 strokes ahead of second-place Dixie State.

• The Clan followed up its win at the Saint Martin’s Invitational with a second place finish at the Western Washington Invitational with a score of 848, four strokes behind first-place Concordia.

• The Clan placed three players in the top-10 at the Saint Martin’s Invitational. Sophomore Ryan Stolys led SFU with a fourth-place finish and a score of 10-under-par 206.

• Sophomore Aidan Goodfellow also impressed at the Saint Martin’s Invitational, finishing a stroke behind Stolys with a score of 9-under-par 207 to finish in fifth place. Senior Scott Kerr finished tied for eighth with a score of 6-under-par 210 while Sophomore Isaac Lee finished tied for 19th with a score of 2-under-par 214.

• Lee was the top individual performer for Simon Fraser at the Western Washington Invitational, finishing in second place with a score of 10-under-par 206. He was tied with Western Washington’s Ethan Casto for first place at the end of the third round but lost on the second hole of a playoff.

• Stolys continued to impress with a tie for ninth place at the WWU Invitational, finishing with a score of 4-under-par 212. Goodfellow finished right behind him as he tied for 12th place with a score of 3-under-par 213.

• Up next, Simon Fraser will compete at the Concordia Invitational in Portland, Oregon. The tournament will run from Oct. 7-8.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington finished tied for third place at the Saint Martin’s Invitational with a team score of 856. The Vikings then finished in eighth at their own Western Washington Invitational with a score of 877.

• Senior Ethan Casto shared GNAC Men’s Golf Player of the Week honors with Northwest Nazarene’s Isaac Emerson after both players finished tied for second place at the Saint Martin’s Invitational with scores of 11-under-par 205.

• Casto continued to impress by winning the individual title at the Western Washington Invitational with a score of 10-under-par 206. He was tied with Simon Fraser’s Isaac Lee after the third round but won on the second hole of a playoff.

• Sophomore Aidan Thain also impressed at the Western Washington Invitational, finishing tied for 18th place with an even-par 216. Sophomore Jordan Lee finished tied for 29th with a score of 3-over-par 219.

• Up next, Western Washington will head down to Portland, Oregon, to compete at the Concordia Invitational at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club. The tournament will run from Oct. 7-8.