March 25, 2008

GOLF: Lutes Take Aim on NWC Spring Classic

WHAT’S AHEAD: The PLU women’s and men’s golf teams will compete in the Northwest Conference Spring Classic at Quail Valley Golf Course in Banks, Ore. The 36-hole women’s tournament is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, March 28-29, while the 36-hole men’s event will be played Saturday and Sunday, March 29-30.

PACKARD DOES IT AGAIN: For the second straight week, PLU senior Chris Packard has earned Northwest Conference Men’s Player of the Week honors. Packard received the honor after finishing second at the Willamette Invitational held Monday, March 17, at Creekside in Salem, Ore. Packard had rounds of 74 and 76 for a 36-hole total of 150 in the one-day tournament. Packard had the best individual total by five strokes of any conference golfer, and there were six NWC schools in the tournament. Previously this spring, Packard earned NWC Player of the Week honors after finishing as medalist at the UPS Invitational.

SPRING CLASSIC: The NWC Spring Classic is one of three tournaments that count toward the final team placing in the conference and also toward all-conference selections. The NWC Fall Classic and the NWC Spring Classic both count 25 percent and the NWC Championships, scheduled for the third weekend in April, counts half toward the final team points. Linfield won the men’s Fall Classic for eight points and PLU placed fourth to earn five points, while Pacific won the women’s Fall Classic for eight points and PLU placed sixth for a total of three points. The Spring Classic counts the same and the NWC Championships double the point totals. For instance, the winner of the NWC Championships will earn 16 points, the second-place team 14 points, and so on.

WILLAMETTE INVITATIONAL NOTES: As mentioned in an earlier note, Chris Packard led the PLU men at the Willamette Invitational. His total of 150 trailed the winner by four strokes. As a team, the PLU men finished sixth overall with a 36-hole total of 647. Northwest Nazarene won the men’s invitational with a 318-313 – 631. On the women’s side, senior Angela Grossklaus led Pacific Lutheran to fourth place in the team standings at the Willamette Invitational. Grossklaus finished fifth among individual golfers at 177 (89-88). Pacific won the team title with a score of 717 and Pacific Lutheran took fourth at 798 (404-394).

- PLU -