DuPONT, Wash. – The Western Washington University men’s golf team turned in a dominating season-opening performance, winning the Saint Martin’s Invitational by a 17-stroke margin and placed four players in the top-10 at the 54-hole, three-round tournament played Friday and Saturday at The Home Course.
WWU shot even-par 288 in Saturday’s final round, 11 strokes better than any of the other 17 teams that took to the par 72, 6,929-yard course. The Vikings completed the tournament at 9-under-par 855, 17 strokes better than second-place Simon Fraser (+8, 872).
After turning in rounds of 4-under-par 284 and 5-under-par 283 in the first two rounds on Friday, the Vikings were pulled away from the 18-team field with an even-par 288 on Saturday.
Individually, WWU had four players in the top-10 of the 99-player field. Senior Cody Roth (Bellingham, WA) fired a final-round 1-under-par 71 to tie for 2nd place at 5-under-par 211 for the tournament. Roth recorded a career-best round of 5-under-par 67 in Friday’s second round. Kobie Lockwood of Stanislaus State won individual medalist honors finishing at 8-under-par 208 for the 3-stroke victory.
Senior Nick Sparling (Dublin, OH/Dublin Coffman/Ohio State) fired a 3-under-par 69 in the final round to move up to 6th place at 3-under-par 213 for the tournament (71-73-69). Senior Michael Butler (Sammamish, WA) tied for 7th place at 1-under-par 215 (71-71-73) and junior Ethan Casto (Sammamish, WA) finished 10th at even-par 216 (69-72-75).
Freshman Jordan Lee (Tacoma, WA/Bellarmine Prep) opened his collegiate career tying for 42nd place at 11-over-par 227 (76-74-77) and sophomore Brody Bonfilio (Boise, ID/Bishop Kelly) tied for 71st place at 17-over-par 233 playing as an individual (79-75-79).
The Vikings host the 47th Annual WWU Invitational beginning Monday when 20 teams will play a 54-hole, three-round tournament over two days at Bellingham Golf & Country Club.
