WHITMAN INVITATIONAL: Bruins 7th, Lumsden Tied for 3rd after Day 1 at Wine Valley

WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Although the George Fox University Bruins as a team are only seventh out of eight teams after the first day of play Sunday in the Whitman College Invitational men's golf tournament here at the Wine Valley Golf Club, two Bruins - Chris Lumsden and Kyle Wilson - shot sub-80 rounds and could still challenge for top honors.

The Bruins shot a four-player, 18-hole score of 313, 25-over-par on the par-72, 6,760-yard layout.  Whitworth University blistered the course with a one-under 287, followed by Pacific Lutheran University at 292, the University of Puget Sound at 293, Linfield College at 297, host Whitman at 299, Willamette University at 304, George Fox, and Lewis & Clark College at 338.

Lumsden, who became the first Bruin in the six-year history of the program to win a tournament when he captured the Linfield Invitational earlier in the week on Thursday, carded a two-under-par 70 and claimed a share of third on the leader board, one stroke off the pace, with three others.  Wilson, a rare southpaw golfer, shot a 76 and is tied with two others for 21st. 

Also counting for the Bruins on Sunday were Tyler Dyck with an 80 (tied for 31st) and Joel Stude with an 87 (tied for 41st).  Stephen Ossey, a former Bruin baseball player making a transition to golf, shot a 116 to place 47th in his first college golf appearance, while Dylan Harris did not complete the round.

Tied atop the individual standings with three-under 69's are Dustin Hegge of PLU and Lyle Rudnicki of Whitworth.  One shot back are Lumsden, Ryan Kukula of Willamette, Justin Lee of PLU, and Oliver Rudnicki of Whitworth.  Counting Wilson, 23 players are within seven shots of first place.

The tournament concludes Monday at Wine Valley, with the first tee times scheduled for an early 8:00 a.m. start.

First-day results of the Whitman Invitational, courtesy of the Whitworth sports information office which is assisting with the tournament while Whitman continues its search for a new sports information director to replace the late Dave Holden, are available on the George Fox men's golf website at http://athletics.georgefox.edu/sports/mgolf/2012-13/files/0930.htm.