WGF: NWC FALL CLASSIC - Bruins Win Fall Classic Behind Westendorf’s Record Round

NWC Fall Classic Women's Results

PORTLAND, Ore. - Led by a record-setting round of 72 by freshman Jill Westendorf, the George Fox University Bruins rallied from eight strokes down after the first day to win the Northwest Conference Women's Golf Fall Classic by 12 strokes here at the Heron Lakes Golf Course on Saturday and Sunday.

The Bruins shot a four-player score of 342 on the par-72, 5,813-yard Green Back course under miserable weather conditions of rain and cold on Saturday, and stood second to a 334 posted by Whitworth University.  Rising to the challenge of catching the defending Fall Classic champions on a cool but pleasant Sunday, three Bruins shot sub-80 rounds as George Fox finished 20 strokes ahead of the Pirates, 309-329, and won the event with a 651 to Whitworth's 663.  The Bruins' 18-hole 309 score on Sunday and 36-hole 651 score are new George Fox records, and are also believed to be NWC Fall Classic records. 

Linfield College took third with a 348-333=681, followed by the University of Puget Sound with a 355-353=708 and Whitman College with a 357-351-708, Pacific University with a 381-360=741, Pacific Lutheran University with a 395-377=772, Willamette University with a 411-407=818, and host Lewis & Clark College with a 425-430=855.

Emily Guthrie of Whitworth took medalist honors with an 80-77=157, but the story of the day was the remarkable performance by Westendorf, who knocked 16 strokes off her first day's score and finished second with an 88-72=160.  She spent most of the day under par, not shooting her first bogey until the 15th hole, but followed that up with a birdie on the par-3 16th to go back to two-under.  Although she took bogeys on the last two holes to finish at even par, she carded the best 18-hole round in the four-year history of the George Fox program by three stokes.

Also posting sub-80 rounds for the Bruins were Brianna Nap, who tied for third with an 87-78=165, and Kelsey Morrison, who tied for fifth with an 87-79=166.  Sarah Askin, who had the Bruins' best score on Saturday, tied Nap for third with an 82-83=165, while Mandy Cameron tied for fifth with an 86-80=166, giving the Bruins four players in the top five spots.  Abby Mann rounded out the George Fox contingent with a 95-89=184, tying for 23rd.

"Weather conditions were terrible the first day with the rain coming down hard the entire front nine, so I was very pleased with how we stayed strong," said George Fox coach MaryJo McCloskey.  "I was particularly excited for Sarah coming through with a low round for the team with an 82 to help keep us within striking distance of the lead going into today's final round.

"Today the entire team embraced the challenge and set a new team scoring record, which I believe might be a new Fall Classic record as well. Jill was amazing - She was under par for most of her round! I am thrilled for our team and really look forward to our continuing to make progress toward a chance at the NCAA Nationals in the spring."

The NWC Fall Classic counts as one quarter of the total score in determining the conference champion, with the NWC Spring Classic also counting as a quarter and the NWC Championship in the spring as one half.  The Bruins' fall portion of the 2009-10 season is now complete.