(MSUB Athletics release)
PORTLAND, Ore. – Opening the Concordia University Invitational on Monday, the Montana State University Billings men’s golf team played a pair of rounds at Columbia Edgewater Golf Club.
The Yellowjackets logged a team score of 623 on Monday, and are in fifth place among the field of eight teams on the par-71, 6,823-yard course layout. “Today as a team we hit the ball pretty well, we just had a tough time scoring and making some birdies,” said MSUB assistant coach Marcus Drange. “It was a long ways into our first round today to get a birdie on the card for the team, and that hurt us considering the start we had. The guys did a great job staying positive as it rained for the entire day. We did bounce back and shaved a few strokes off in Round 2, which puts us in good position to make another move in the right direction tomorrow morning.”
Junior Garrett Woodin is in a tie for 18th place after the first day of action, as he led the team with a 150 (76-74). Woodin shaved a pair of strokes off between rounds, and finished strong with a birdie over his final eight holes of play.
“Garrett did an excellent job today and made a lot of pars,” Drange commented. “He was patient all day and that should pay off tomorrow if he continues to hit the ball like he did today.”
Caleb Trost was four strokes behind, after carding a pair of 77s on Monday for a total of 154. The sophomore is in a tie for 27th place overall.
Returning to the course after missing the last event, junior Payton Stott checked in with a two-round total of 158 (78-80). Stott is in 29th place overall.
Sophomores Logan Martin and Riley Kaercher rounded out the five competitors for the ‘Jackets, with scores of 163 and 168, respectively. Both players showed promising improvement between rounds, as Martin dropped from an 84 in Round 1 to a 79 his second time through, while Kaercher made strides going from a 90 to a 78.
Western Washington University leads the team race after posting a 7-under-par team score of 561 (280-281). The Vikings’ Jordan Lee is the individual leader, as he had rounds of 67 and 66 for a two-round total of 9-under-par 133. He holds a three-shot lead over second-place Adam Quandt 236 (68-68) of Concordia University.
THE BUZZ: Woodin was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day.
AHEAD: The third and final round tees off on Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. Pacific/9 a.m. Mountain time. This is the Yellowjackets’ final tournament of the fall, and they will close the season with the Mike Grob Cup in match play against Rocky Mountain College on October 18-20 in Billings.
Concordia University Invitational
Columbia Edgewater Golf Club | Portland, Oregon
Day 1 Results | October 8, 2018
Team – 1. Western Washington, 563 (280-281); 5. MSU Billings, 623 (315-308). Individual – 1. Jordan Lee, WWU, 133 (67-66); T18. Garrett Woodin, MSUB, 150 (76-74); T27. Caleb Trost, MSUB, 154 (77-77); 29. Payton Stott, MSUB, 158 (78-80); T33. Logan Martin, MSUB, 163 (84-79); 42. Riley Kaercher, MSUB, 168 (90-78).
