Dylan Goodwin
Nick Varelia
Western, ranked 8th by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), shot a three-over 291 in yesterday's second and final round for a 36-hole total of eight-over 584 to tie with St Martin's, 21 shots behind winner Cal State Stanislaus.
That the Vikings shot 12-over on its home course was one thing, finishing so far behind a team ranked nine places below them was another.
“It was a disappointing performance on our home course,” said WWU coach Steve Card. “That’s not to take anything away from Cal State Stanislaus, which blew everyone away. But to shoot eight-over for two rounds at home is not good golf. It’s the beginning of the season and we got a wake-up call. Now it’s time to step up and play the way we can.”
Dylan Goodwin and Nick Varelia (playing as an individual) were Western's top performers both tieing for second on three-under 141. You have to go all the way down to T19 for the next Viking, however - Jake Webb who shot rounds of 73 and 74. Team members Brian Barhanovich and Mark Strickland both tied for 23rd on four-over 148, while the fifth member of the team, Sandy Vaughan, was disqualified after the first round. Three other Western squad members - Craig Crawford, Evan Needham and Thomas Jun - played as individuals, Crawford and Needham finishing tied for 27th on five-over 149, Jun coming in tied for 35th after an excellent second-round 69.
Cal State Stanislaus's Trevor Blair recorded an emphatic victory in the individual competition, earning medal honors with rounds of 66 and 69 to finish six clear of the four-way tie for second.
Western has an immediate opportunity to right the ship as it travels to Olympia on Monday for the St. Martin's Invitational.
