NWC SPRING CLASSIC: Bruins Remain in 8th as Spring Classic Concludes

Complete Results

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. - Unable to make up any ground on the second day of play, the George Fox University Bruins had to settle for an 8th-place finish in the Northwest Conference Men's Golf Spring Classic that concluded Tuesday here at the Chambers Bay Golf Course.

Pacific University, taking advantage of a six-stroke lead it had built up on the first day, hung on to that margin of victory to win the event with a two-day score of 294-324=618.  The University of Puget Sound shot the day’s best round and climbed from fourth to second with a 308-316=624 score.  Linfield College was a stroke behind at 300-325=625, followed by Willamette University with a 317-330=647, Whitworth University with a 318-331=649, Whitman College at 320-330=650, Pacific Lutheran University at 305-347=652, and George Fox at 333-352=685.  Lewis & Clark did not send a team to the tournament.

The Bruins’ best score on Sunday was a 41-40=81 by Mike Ulstad, giving him a final score of 83-81=164, which tied for 23rd individually.  Close behind was David Burkhart, who shot a 44-42=86 and ended with an 80-86=166 card, tied for 26th. 

Also counting for the Bruins on Sunday was Kelton Johnson with a 44-47=91, while Brett Tharp (46-48=94) and Matthew Fanning (53-41=94) were tied for the fourth counting score.  Johnson had the Bruins’ third-best total score (85-91=176), followed by Tharp (85-94=179) and Fanning (87-94=181).

Pacific's Max Bonk collected medalist honors, shooting a 65-82=147 to finish three stokes ahead of Alex Fitch of Linfield, who had a 72-78-150.  Tim Andrew of Pacific placed third with a 71-80=151.

With the NWC Fall and Spring Classics now in the books, Pacific holds a narrow lead in the NWC Championship standings with 15 points.  Linfield is second with 14, followed by Puget Sound at 13.  Whitworth and Willamette are tied for fourth with nine points, while Pacific Lutheran and Whitman are tied for sixth with five points.  George Fox is in eighth place with two points.  The NWC Championship on April 25-26 counts as one-half of the collective scores and will determine the overall league champion.

Next up for the Bruins is their own George Fox Invitational II, now set for Friday-Saturday, April 10-11, at The Reserve Golf Course in Aloha, Ore.  Tee times are 11:00 a.m. Friday and 12:00 noon Saturday.