Thursday, April 8, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. – Three GNAC Men’s Golf Player of the Week awards have been handed out this season. All three have gone to Western Washington junior Aidan Thain.

Thain earned the honor for the third straight time on Monday after he paced the Vikings and was the GNAC’s top finisher at the SeattleU Redhawk Invitational, which was loaded with Division I talent. He carded a 6-over-par 220 to finish tied for 36th place. Saint Martin’s senior Tyler Fitchett finished just one stroke behind Thain, tying for 38th place at 7-over-par 221.

Fitchett shined again and led the GNAC field at the Mustang Intercollegiate. He tied for seventh place with a final score of 4-under-par 212 to lead the Saints to an eighth-place team finish. Fitchett shot even-par or better in all three rounds, highlighted by a 2-under-par 70 in the opening and closing rounds.

Western Washington tied for sixth place with Colorado Mesa at the Mustang Intercollegiate, turning in a three-round team score of 874. Juniors Devin Andrews and Brody Bonfilio led the way. Andrews finished tied for 16th place at even-par 216 while Bonfilio placed 22nd at 2-over-par 218.

Montana State Billings will finish its regular season at the Mike Grob Cup this weekend in Billings and the Hardrocker Spring Classic on April 12-13 in Rapid City, South Dakota.

The GNAC Championships are right around the corner. This year’s tournament will take place on April 19-20 at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington.

LAST WEEK’S TOURNAMENTS
SeattleU Redhawk Invitational (Mar. 29-30 at the Chambers Bay Golf Course, University Place, Wash.): Team - 14, Western Washington, 904. 15, Saint Martin’s, 930. Individual - T36, Aidan Thain, Western Washington, 220. T38, Tyler Fitchett, Saint Martin’s, 221. T50, Jordan Lee, Western Washington, 225. T59, Devin Andrews, Western Washington, 229. T68, Nick Lasko, Western Washington, 231.

Mustang Intercollegiate (April 5-6 at the Palm Valley Golf Club, Goodyear, Ariz.): Team - T6, Western Washington, 874. 8, Saint Martin’s, 875. 9, Montana State Billings, 879. 13, Northwest Nazarene, 906. Individual - T7, Tyler Fitchett, Saint Martin’s, 212. T16, Devin Andrews, Western Washington, 216. 22, Brody Bonfilio, Western Washington, 218. T23, Dennis Geissler, Saint Martin’s, 219. T23, Jordan Lee, Western Washington, 219.

AROUND THE GNAC
MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings finished in ninth place with a three-round score of 879 at the Mustang Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday.

• Freshman Kevin Kolb and senior Garrett Woodin led the Yellowjackets as they finished in a five-way tie for 28th place with scores of 4-over-par 220. Kolb’s tournament included an even-par 72 in the first round and a 2-under-par 70 in the second round. Woodin had a low score of 1-under-par 71 in the first round.

• Junior Riley Kaercher finished one stroke behind Kolb and Woodin, tying for 33rd place at 5-over-par 221.

• Montana State Billings will compete at its annual match play competition with Rocky Mountain, the Mike Grob Cup, this weekend in Billings. The Yellowjackets will close their regular season at the Hardrocker Spring Classic on April 12-13 in Rapid City, South Dakota. The Yellowjackets will compete at the GNAC Championships on April 19-20 at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene placed 13th with a three-round score of 906 at the Mustang Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday to close its regular season.

• Senior Isaac Emerson and sophomore Grayson Giboney were the top performers for the Nighthawks as they finished in a six-way tie for 43rd place with scores of 8-over-par 224. Emerson’s best round was an even-par in the third round while Giboney carded a 2-under-par 70 in the opening round.

• Freshman Jack Cook competed as an individual and finished in a three-way tie for 51st place at 10-over-par 226. Senior Tyler Joplin was right behind Cook, finishing in a five-way tie for 54th at 227.

• Up next, the Nighthawks will compete at the GNAC Championships on April 19-20 at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s finished in 15th place with a three-round score of 930 at the SeattleU Redhawk Invitational on Mar. 29-30 and then placed eighth with a final score of 875 at the Mustang Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday.

• Senior Tyler Fitchett was the Saints’ top performer at the SeattleU Redhawk Invitational as he finished in a six-way tie for 38th place with a score of 7-over-par 221, which included an even-par 72 in the first round.

• Fitchett led all GNAC golfers at the Mustang Intercollegiate with a top-10 finish. He tied for seventh place with Colorado Mesa’s Peter Grosenbacher at 4-under-par 212. Fitchett shot an even-par or better in all three rounds, carding even-par 72 in the second round and 2-under-par 70 in the first and third rounds.

• Junior Dennis Geissler finished in a five-way tie for 23rd place at the Mustang Intercollegiate at 3-over-par 219. His tournament included a 4-under-par 68 in the opening round. Fellow junior Max Turnquist finished a stroke behind Geissler, finishing in a five-way tie for 28th place at 4-over-par 220.

• Saint Martin’s will compete at the GNAC Championships on April 19-20 at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington placed 14th at the SeattleU Redhawk Invitational with a three-round score of 904 and then tied for sixth place with Colorado Mesa at the Mustang Intercollegiate with a final score of 874.

• Junior Aidan Thain was named the GNAC Men’s Golf Player of the Week for the third time this season after he paced the Vikings and was the GNAC’s top finisher at the SeattleU Redhawk Invitational. He carded a 6-over-par 220 to finish tied for 36th place with Paul Gonzalez of UT Arlington. Thain finished just one stroke ahead of Saint Martin’s Tyler Fitchett, who finished tied for 38th.

• Junior Devin Andrews led the Vikings at the Mustang Intercollegiate, finishing in a six-way tie for 16th place with a score of even-par 216. His performance included a low score of 4-under-par 68 in the opening round.

• Fellow junior Brody Bonfilio placed 22nd with a score of 2-over-par 218, which included a 1-under-par 71 in the first round. Sophomore Jordan Lee finished right behind as he finished in a five-way tie for 23rd at 3-over-par 219.

• Up next, the Vikings look ahead to the GNAC Championships on April 19-20 at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington.