Thursday, March 25, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. – There’s no place like home.

Saint Martin’s turned in the best team score among GNAC teams at its own Saint Martin’s Regional Preview at the Home Course in DuPont, Washington, with a two-round score of 584. Tuesday’s third round was canceled due to heavy fog.

All four scoring players for the Saints placed in the top-20. The squad was led by senior Tyler Fitchett and junior Max Turnquist, who finished in a five-way tie for seventh place with scores of 1-over-par 145. Junior Jordan Terada tied for 12th place with Regis’ Nick Huggins at 2-over-par 146 while fellow junior Dennis Geissler finished in a three-way tie for 16th place at 4-over-par 148.

Western Washington junior Aidan Thain was the conference’s top performer at the Saint Martin’s Regional Preview, finishing tied for fifth place with Sam Ruston of Western New Mexico at even-par 144. Thain’s tournament included a 1-under-par 72 in the first round and a 1-over-par 73 in the second.

Thain earned a spot on the all-tournament team over Ruston with a tiebreaker, decided by the lowest second-round score. Thain shot a 73 in the second round while Ruston shot a 74.

Colorado State Pueblo won the team title with a score of 573. The ThunderWolves’ Andrew Ni and Jamie Roberts were named co-medalists after they tied for first place at 2-under-par 142.

Northwest Nazarene won the team title at the LC State Spring Invitational on Mar. 15-16 at the Clarkston Golf and Country Club in Clarkston, Washington. The Nighthawks finished seven strokes ahead of second-place Lewis-Clark State with a two-round score of 600.

The Nighthawks’ four scoring players all placed in the top-10. Senior Isaac Emerson led the way with a second-place finish at 3-over-par 147. Sophomore Grayson Giboney finished right behind in third place at 4-over-par 148. Senior Tyler Joplin finished in a three-way tie for fourth place at 8-over-par 152 while sophomore Cole Evarts tied for seventh place at 9-over-par 153.

LAST WEEK’S TOURNAMENTS
LC State Spring Invitational (Mar. 15-16 at the Clarkston Golf and Country Club, Clarkston, Wash.): Team - 1, Northwest Nazarene, 600. 7, Northwest Nazarene B, 645. Individual - 2, Isaac Emerson, Northwest Nazarene, 147. 3, Grayson Giboney, Northwest Nazarene, 148. T4, Tyler Joplin, Northwest Nazarene, 152. T7, Cole Evarts, Northwest Nazarene, 153. 15, Jared Stensgaard, Northwest Nazarene, 158.

Saint Martin’s Regional Preview (Mar. 22 at the Home Course, DuPont, Wash.): Team - 2, Saint Martin’s, 584. T3, Western Washington, 587. 9, Northwest Nazarene, 611. 10, Montana State Billings, 612. Individual - T5, Aidan Thain, Western Washington, 144. T7, Tyler Fitchett, Saint Martin’s, 145. T7, Max Turnquist, Saint Martin’s, 145. T12, Jordan Terada, Saint Martin’s, 146. T14, Nick Baker, Saint Martin’s, 147.

AROUND THE GNAC
MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings finished in 10th place with a two-round score of 612 at the Saint Martin’s Regional Preview on Monday.

• Senior Garrett Woodin led the Yellowjackets as he finished in an eight-way tie for 22nd place at 6-over-par 150. His performance included a low score of 2-over-par 74 in the first round.

• Junior Caleb Trost finished in a seven-way tie for 30th place at 7-over-par 151 while sophomore Dawson Strobel finished in a six-way tie for 40th at 9-over-par 153.

• Montana State Billings will compete at the Bob Writz Invitational on Saturday and Sunday in Golden, Colorado, before heading to Goodyear, Arizona, to compete at the Mustang Intercollegiate on April 5-6.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene claimed the team title at the LC State Spring Invitational on Mar. 15-16 at the Clarkston Golf and Country Club in Clarkston, Washington, with a two-round score of 600. The Nighthawks also sent a “B” squad to the tournament, which finished in sixth place at 645. Northwest Nazarene placed ninth at the Saint Martin’s regional preview on Monday with a score of 611 over two rounds.

• All four scoring players for NNU at the LC State Invitational placed in the top-10. Senior Isaac Emerson led the way in second place with a score of 3-over-par 147. He shot a 1-over-par 73 in the first round and 2-over-par 74 in the second round.

• Sophomore Grayson Giboney finished just behind Emerson in third place at 4-over-par 148. His tournament included a low round of 2-under-par 70 in the second round. Senior Tyler Joplin wasn’t far behind, finishing in a three-way tie for fourth place at 8-over-par 152. Sophomore Cole Evarts rounded out the scoring players, finishing tied for seventh place at 9-over-par 153.

• Giboney was the top performer at the Saint Martin’s preview, finishing in an eight-way tie for 22nd place with a score of 6-over-par 150. He shot a 75 in both rounds. Emerson finished in a three-way tie for 37th place at 8-over-par 152.

• Up next, the Nighthawks will compete at the Mustang Intercollegiate on April 5-6 in Goodyear, Arizona.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• The Saints performed well at their own Saint Martin’s Regional Preview on Monday at the Home Course in DuPont, Washington, finishing in second place with a two-round score of 584.

• Senior Tyler Fitchett and junior Max Turnquist had the second-best performances among GNAC players, finishing in a five-way tie for seventh place with scores of 1-over-par 145. Fitchett turned in a solid second-round score of 3-under-par 69 while Turnquist shot a 1-under-par 71 in the first round.

• The other two scoring players for Saint Martin’s also finished in the top-20. Junior Jordan Terada tied for 12th place at 2-over-par 146, which included a low score of even-par 72 in the second round. Junior Dennis Geissler finished in a three-way tie for 16th place at 4-over-par 148.

• Junior Nick Baker and Sophomore Ethan Finau also impressed as individuals. Baker tied for 14th place at 3-over-par 147 while Finau was in the three-way tie for 16th place with Geissler and Colorado Mines’ Jake Welch at 4-over-par 148.

• Saint Martin’s will compete at the Seattle University Redhawk Invitational on Monday and Tuesday in Lakewood, Washington, before competing at the Mustang Intercollegiate on April 5-6 in Goodyear, Arizona.

SIMON FRASER
• Due to the closure of the U.S./Canada border due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Simon Fraser’s golf season is on hold.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington tied for third place with Western New Mexico at the Saint Martin’s Regional Preview on Monday with a two-round score of 587.

• Junior Aidan Thain paced the Vikings for the second time in as many tournaments, finishing tied for fifth place with Western New Mexico’s Sam Ruston with a score of even-par 144. His tournament included a 1-under-par 71 in the first round and a 1-over-par 73 in the second round. Thain earned all-tournament honors with a tiebreaker over Ruston.

• Junior Brody Bonfilio turned in a solid top-20 performance, finishing in a three-way tie for 19th place at 5-over-par 149. Junior Devin Andrews and sophomore Jordan Lee rounded out the scoring players, finishing in an eight-way tie for 22nd place at 6-over-par 150.

• Western Washington will hit the links again at the Seattle University Redhawk Invitational on Monday and Tuesday in Lakewood, Washington. The Vikings will then head to Goodyear, Arizona, to compete at the Mustang Intercollegiate on April 5-6.