Friday, October 14, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Montana State Billings and Simon Fraser men’s golf teams took to the course in the early weeks of October while the three other GNAC teams had time off of competition.

The MSUB men started the month with their own Yellowjacket Fall Invitational at the Lake Hills Golf Course in Billings on Oct. 3 and 4. The Yellowjackets proved to be the class of the field at their home tournament, securing both the team win and the individual victory. As a team, MSUB finished with a score of 4-under-par 860. Senior Dawson Strobel took the individual win, carding a score of 5-under-par 211.

Simon Fraser traveled to Marysville, California for the Chico State Wildcat Classic on Monday and Tuesday. The Red Leafs finished second with a three-round score of 19-under-par 845 only one stroke behind tournament-winner Chico State. Kyle Mayner paced three scoring golfers in the top 20 for SFU. He finished in a tie for seventh with a score of 7-under-par 209.

LAST WEEK’S & PREVIOUS TOURNAMENTS
Yellowjacket Fall Invitational (Oct. 3-4 at Lake Hills Golf Course, Billings, Mont.) Team – 1, Montana State Billings 860. 2, South Dakota Mines 874. 3, Jamestown 886. Individual – 1, Dawson Strobel, Montana State Billings, 211. 4, Paul O’Neil, Montana State Billings, 215. 6, Carson Garner, Montana State Billings, 219. T-8, Blake Finn, Montana State Billings, 221. T-8, Kevin Kolb, Montana State Billings, 221.

Chico State Wildcat Classic (Oct. 10-11 at Peach Tree Golf & Country Club, Marysville, Calif.) Team – 1, Chico State 844. 2, Simon Fraser 844. 3, Sonoma State 846. Individual – 1, Griffin Pace, Sonoma State, 205. T-7, Kyle Mayner, Simon Fraser, 209. T-10, Bailey Bjornson, Simon Fraser, 210. T-19, Jordan Beard, Simon Fraser, 216. T-52, Aneesh Kaura, Simon Fraser, 227.

AROUND THE GNAC
MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings is one of two teams that has been on the course this month, hosting the Yellowjacket Invitational on Oct. 3 and 4. The Yellowjackets won the tournament decisively with a 14-stroke advantage over second-place South Dakota Mines. The MSUB men were led by Dawson Strobel who claimed the individual win with a three-round score of 5-under-par 211.

• Strobel earner GNAC Golf Player of the Week honors with his win. He leads MSUB with a 71.4 stroke average and two tournament victories. The award is the first of his career.

• All five of the Yellowjackets’ golfers placed in the top 10. Paul O’Neil carded a score of 1-under-par 215 to secure fourth place, Carson Garner placed sixth and Blake Finn finished in a tie for eighth with teammate Kevin Kolb.

• The Yellowjacket Invite was the last stroke-play tournament for Montana State Billings this fall. The team will be back on the course for its annual match play tournaments with Rocky Mountain for the Mike Grob Cup. The event will take place across three days from Oct. 20-22 over three locations in Billings.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene has not competed in a stroke-play tournament since September at the WWU Invitational. Last week the Nighthawks played in a dual meet against College of Idaho with a modified ruleset. The front nine consisted of two golfers from each team facing off in a best-ball match and the back nine as individual-match play. The NNU men came out on top, beating the Yotes 11-4.

• The Nighthawks are led by junior Grayson Gibboney, who has one tournament win this season and a 73.3 stroke average.

• Northwest Nazarene will be back on the course at the end of the month for the Southwest Airlines HPU Sharks Shootout on Oct. 25 and 26 in Wahiawa before competing in the Southwest Airlines Dennis Rose Intercollegiate on the Kohala Coast on Oct. 28 and 29.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s hasn’t been on the course since the Western Washington Invitational on September 26 and 27. The Saints placed 12th out of 17 teams in Bellingham and were led by Max Turnquist who tied for 16th with a three-round score of 217.

• Turnquist has been the top golfer for the SMU men through their two tournaments. He owns a stroke average of 73.2. Kyle Erwin and Mason Rohleder round out the top three for the Saints.

• Saint Martin’s will travel alongside several GNAC teams to the HPU Sharks Shootout on Oct 25 and 26 before making its way to the Dennis Rose Intercollegiate on Oct. 28 and 29.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser made the trip down to Marysville, California on Monday and Tuesday for the Chico State Wildcat Classic. The Red Leafs finished the tournament in second, one stroke behind Chico State with a three-round score of 19-under-par 845.

• The SFU men were led by Kyle Mayner who carded a 7-under-par 209 in a three-way tie for seventh place. He was followed by Bailey Bjornson, just one stroke behind in a three-way tie for 10th place. Jordan Bean and Aneesh Kaura rounded out the scoring for Simon Fraser in 19th and 52nd, respectively.

• Bjornson has been the most consistent performer for the Red Leafs this season. He holds a stroke average of 70.3 to go along with two top-five individual finishes. As a team, SFU owns a GNAC-leading stroke average of 284.4 over eight rounds.

• As with many teams, Simon Fraser will return to the course in Hawaii for the HPU Sharks Shootout and Dennis Rose Intercollegiate in late October.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington has not played in a tournament since hosting the WWU Invitational on Sept. 26 and 27. The Vikings took the team win in their own tournament with a three-round score of 12-under-par 852 and were led by senior Jordan Lee in third place. Lee carded a score of 6-under-par 210 and was just two strokes behind the leading pair of Holy Names’ Edvin Backstrom and Cal St. Dominguez Hills’ Andy Yoon.

• Lee leads the WWU men and the GNAC with a 70.2 stroke average. He has finished in the top five of both tournaments the Vikings have played in this season. Ryan Ho and Seth King are close behind Lee with stroke averages of 71 and 71.2, respectively. Ho ranks fourth in the GNAC while King ranks fifth. They each have one top-five finish.

• Western Washington’s next tournament will be the HPU Sharks Shootout on Oct. 25 and 26 ahead of the Dennis Rose Intercollegiate.