Thursday, April 6, 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Washington only played in one tournament last week but made it count by winning the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational in Turlock, California with a three-round score of 7-over-par 871.

The win marks the second time in as many years that the Vikings have won the tournament. The performance also earned Western Washington recognition as the GNAC Team of the Week. The win was dedicated to retiring WWU director of athletics and longtime head coach Steve Card who retires after 33 in Bellingham.

Western Washington senior Jordan Lee also won top individual honors at the tournament, winning with a three-round score of 4-under-par 212. The win is the second of his collegiate career and marks his fifth top-10 finish in his last seven events. He was also named the GNAC Men’s Golf Player of the Week.

The GNAC secured a one-two finish at the Hanny Stanislaus Invite with Simon Fraser finishing second with a three-round score of 881. The Red Leafs had to battle close competition, ending the tournament just one stroke ahead of third-place Chico State and four strokes ahead of fourth-place Holy Names.

Simon Fraser seniors Jordan Bean and Aidan Goodfellow finished in a tie for 12th with scores of 4-over-par 220. Bean recorded the lowest single-round score of any GNAC golfer in the tournament with a 67 in the final round that was also tied for the best round overall with Hawaii Hilo’s Andrew Otani.

Saint Martin’s, Simon Fraser and Western Washington will all have the weekend off before traveling to Rohnert Park, California for the NCAA West Regional Spring Preview on Monday and Tuesday. Montana State Billings and Northwest Nazarene do not compete again until the GNAC Championships in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Club on April 24 and 25.

LAST WEEK’S TOURNAMENTS

Hanny Stanislaus Invitational (March 27-28, at Turlock Golf & Country Club, Turlock, Calif.) Team – 1, Western Washington, 871. 2, Simon Fraser, 881. T-14, Montana State Billings, 925. T-14, Saint Martin’s, 925. Individual – 1, Jordan Lee, Western Washington, 212. T-3, Conrad Brown, Western Washington, 216. T-12, Jordan Bean, Simon Fraser, 220. T-12, Aidan Goodfellow, Simon Fraser, 220. T-20, Ryan Hodgins, Simon Fraser, 223. T-25, Cody Oakes, Western Washington, 224.

Hot Dirt Desert Classic (March 31-April 1, at Golf Club of Estrella, Goodyear, Ariz.) Team ­– 1, UC-Colorado Springs, 854. 15, Northwest Nazarene, 934. Individual – T-1, Garrett Leek, Midwestern State, 210. T-1, Mason Mikeska, Midwestern State, 210. T-54, Luke Birkinbine, Northwest Nazarene, 231. T-58, Cole Evarts, Northwest Nazarene, 233. T-64, Grayson Gibboney, Northwest Nazarene, 236. T-64, Parker Wallace, Northwest Nazarene, 236. 79, Lane Strand, Northwest Nazarene, 245.

RJGA Palm Valley Classic (April 3-4, at Palm Valley Golf Club, Goodyear, Ariz.) Team – 1, Colorado Mesa, 870. 12, Montana State Billings, 915. 18, Northwest Nazarene, 932. Individual – T-1, Cole Beyer, Colorado Mesa, 213. T-1, Mason Mikeska, Midwestern State, 213. T-37, Carson Garner, Montana State Billings, 228. T-42, Cole Evarts, Northwest Nazarene, 229. T-47, Paul O’Neil, Montana State Billings, 230. T-47, Dawson Strobel, Montana State Billings, 230. T-75, Luke Birkinbine, Northwest Nazarene, 235. T-75, Brady Cady, Montana State Billings, 235. T-75, Grayson Giboney, Northwest Nazarene, 235. T-75, Parker Wallace, Northwest Nazarene, 235.

AROUND THE GNAC

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS

• Montana State Billings has played in a pair of tournaments over the last week. The Yellowjackets capped off March with a three-round score of 925 at the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational in Turlock, California to finish in a tie for 14th with GNAC rival Saint Martin’s. They were just two strokes back from 13th-place Dominican (Calif.). The Yellowjackets followed that up with a 12th-place finish at the RJGA Palm Valley Classic in Goodyear, Arizona courtesy of a three-round score of 915.

• Junior Paul O’Neil led the way for MSUB in Turlock, carding a three-round score of 229 to finish in a three-way tie for 51st. O’Neil opened and closed the tournament with low rounds of 74. Both were tied for the lowest of any Montana State Billings golfer across the two days. Junior Carson Garner followed O’Neil just one stroke behind in a tied for 55th while senior Dawson Strobel and junior Liam O’Halloran rounded out scoring in ties for 65th and 74th, respectively. Four strokes covered O’Neil, Garner and Strobel.

• At the Palm Valley Classic, it was Garner leading the Yellowjackets with a three-round score of 228 to finish in a tie for 37th. Garner opened the tournament with the best round of any MSUB golfer across the two days with a 71 in the first round. He was followed by O’Neil and Strobel who finished in a three-way tie for 47th with scores of 230. Junior Brady Cady rounded out scoring in a tie for 75th.

• With its regular season schedule completed, Montana State Billings turns its attention to the GNAC Championships in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on April 25 and 25.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE

• Northwest Nazarene was the only GNAC team to not compete in Turlock last week, instead opting to play in the Hot Dirt Desert Classic in Goodyear Arizona. The Nighthawks finished the tournament in 15th with a three-round score of 934. They remained in Goodyear and followed that up with an 18th-place finish at the RJGA Palm Valley Classic with a three-round score of 932.

• Freshman Luke Birkinbine was the top Nighthawks golfer at the Hot Dirt Desert Classic in a tie for 54th with a score of 231. All four scoring golfers for NNU were covered by five strokes, with junior Cole Evarts two strokes back in a tie for 58th while junior Grayson Giboney and freshman Parker Wallace finished in a tie for 64th with scores of 236.

• Cole led the way at the Palm Valley Classic, carding a three-round score of 229 to finish in a tie for 42nd. He closed the tournament with the best round for any Northwest Nazarene golfer at the tournament by shooting a 72. The scoring four remained the same with Birkinbine Giboney and Wallace all finishing in a tie for 75th with scores of 235.

• Northwest Nazarene competes next at the GNAC Championships in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho on April 24 and 25.

SAINT MARTIN’S

• Saint Martin’s took part in the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational last week. The Saints finished with a score of 925 and in a tie for 14th with GNAC rival Montana State Billings. They were 30 strokes ahead of 16th-place Academy of Art and just two strokes behind 13th-place Dominican (Calif.).

• Senior Max Turnquist was the leading golfer for Saint Martin’s at the tournament, carding a three-round score of 10-over-par 226 to tie for 37th. Turnquist recorded the lowest round of the tournament for the Saints in the second round where he shot a 73. He leads the team with a 73.8 stroke average.

• Freshman Mason Bratcher followed Turnquist in 69th with a score of 235. Sophomore Mason Rohleder and freshman Kyle Erwin rounded out the scoring effort for the Saints in ties for 71st and 76th, respectively. The two were separated by two strokes, with Rohleder carding a score of 237 and Erwin a score of 239.

• Saint Martin’s is one of three teams in the conference that will compete again before the GNAC Championships. The Saints will head to Rohnert Park, California on April 10 and 11 to play in the NCAA West Regional Spring Preview at the Foxtail Golf Club.

SIMON FRASER

• Simon Fraser notched a second-place finish a the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational last week with a three-round score of 881. The Red Leafs were second only to GNAC rival, and tournament champion, Western Washington. They finished 10 strokes behind the Vikings and were one stroke ahead of third-place Chico State.

• The Red Leafs placed three golfers in the top 20, led by seniors Jordan Bean and Aidan Goodfellow in a tie for 12th. Both Bean and Goodfellow carded three-round scores of 4-over-par 220. Bean recorded the lowest score of any GNAC golfer in the tournament with a 67 in the final round that was also tied for the best round overall with Hawaii Hilo’s Andrew Otani.

• Sophomore Ryan Hodgins followed Bean and Goodfellow in a four-way tie for 20th with a score of 223. Junior Michael Crisologo rounded out the scoring effort for the Red Leafs and made it four SFU golfers covered by five strokes in a tie for 33rd with a score of 225.

• Simon Fraser will join the majority of conference teams in competing at the NCAA West Regional Spring Preview on April 10 and 11 in Rohnert Park, California ahead of the GNAC Championships at the end of the month.

WESTERN WASHINGTON

• Western Washington only played in one tournament last week but made it count by winning the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational with a three-round score of 7-over-par 871. The Vikings finished 10 strokes ahead of second-place GNAC rival Simon Fraser and 11 strokes ahead of third-place Chico State. The team dedicated the victory to longtime head coach Steve Card. The performance also earned Western Washington GNAC Team of the Week honors.

• The Vikings also claimed top individual honors with senior Jordan Lee winning the tournament with a three-round score of 4-under-par 212. Lee opened and closed the tournament with team-low rounds of 70. He finished two strokes ahead of second-place Luke Duggar of Holy Names. The win is Lee’s second collegiate tournament victory and marks his fifth top-10 finish in his last seven events. The performance also earned Lee GNAC Men’s Golf Player of the Week honors.

• Sophomore Conrad Brown made it two Western Washington golfers in the top three, finishing in a three-way tie for third with a score of even-par 216. His opening round of 4-under-par 68 was tied with teammate Seth King for the team’s best round in the tournament. King finished in a tie for 15th with a score of 5-over-par 221 with his 68 also coming in the first round. Senior Cody Oakes rounded out scoring with a three-round score of 8-over-par 224 to finish in a tie for 25th.

• Western Washington will join Saint Martin’s and Simon Fraser at the NCAA West Regional Spring Preview in Rohnert Park, California on April 10 and 11 ahead of the GNAC Championships.