Feb. 27, 2018 Tournament Results 
LIVERMORE, Calif. - Led by a 2nd-place finish from sophomore Ethan Casto, the Western Washington University men's golf team opened the spring season placing 4th at the Bay Area Invitational played Monday and Tuesday at The Course at Wente Vineyards. The two-day, 54-hole tournament was co-hosted by Academy of Art University and Holy Names University on the par 72, 6,695-yard course designed by Greg Norman.
The tournament field completed the last few holes of the second round that was cut short due to a lightning delay on Monday, and then went right into the final 18 holes of the tournament. WWU was in 5th place after the first two round of the tournament, and moved up to 4th place in the 16-team field with its best team score of the tournament with a 15-over-par 303 in the third round.
"It was again a very tough day conditions-wise on the course, but the guys battled," said head coach Luke Bennett. "Overall, with the conditions and a very tough course, it was a good start to the spring for us and gives us an idea of what we need to work on moving forward." Casto (Snohomish, WA) finished in 2nd place in the 83-player field, firing rounds of 76-70-77 for a three-round score of 7-over-par 223. Casto burned the edge of the cup on his 18th hole that would have forced a playoff, but he fell one stroke short of individual medalist Zack Sims of Holy Names (+6, 222).
"Ethan hit some great shots down the stretch," added Bennett. "This was a really good experience for him. I am proud of the way he handled himself and the pressure of the situation."
Junior Michael Butler (Sammamish, WA/Skyline) also recorded a top 10 finish at 11-over-par 227, recording consistent rounds of 76-77-74. Junior Cody Roth (Bellingham, WA) was just outside the top 20 in a tie for 21st place, finishing at 18-over-par 234. Roth led the tournament field completing the par 5 holes at 5-under-par. Sophomore Jack Shea (Sequim, WA) tied for 59th place at 249 (+33) and finished with the second-most birdies in the tournament with 9. Freshman Devin Andrews (Kirkland, WA/Juanita) rounded out the WWU contingent in a tie for 63rd place, bouncing back from a tough start to the tournament with a 5-over-par 77 in the final round. Western continues is spring schedule next week returning to the bay area to compete in the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout hosted by Cal State East Bay at The Club at Ruby Hill in Pleasanton, Calif.
WWU's team and individual breakdown from the tournament, and the complete team leaderboard are as follows:
BAY AREA INVITATIONAL
The Course at Wente Vineyards (Par 72, 6695 Yards) |
Pos. | Team/Player | To Par | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Total |
4 | Western Washington | +62 | 314 | 309 | 303 | 926 |
2 | Ethan Casto | +7 | 76 | 70 | 77 | 223 |
T8 | Michael Butler | +11 | 76 | 77 | 74 | 227 |
T21 | Cody Roth | +18 | 78 | 81 | 75 | 234 |
T59 | Jack Shea | +33 | 84 | 81 | 84 | 249 |
T63 | Devin Andrews | +35 | 89 | 85 | 77 | 251 |
Pos. | Team | To Par | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Total |
1. | Sonoma State | +42 | 309 | 303 | 294 | 906 |
2. | Holy Names | +52 | 308 | 306 | 302 | 916 |
3. | Dixie State | +57 | 305 | 311 | 305 | 921 |
4. | Western Washington | +62 | 314 | 309 | 303 | 926 |
5. | Rogers State | +67 | 320 | 305 | 306 | 931 |
6. | Colorado Mines | +73 | 309 | 313 | 315 | 937 |
7. | Cal State East Bay | +82 | 321 | 319 | 306 | 946 |
8. | Stanislaus State | +83 | 319 | 323 | 305 | 947 |
9. | Concordia (OR) | +95 | 325 | 327 | 307 | 959 |
10. | Academy of Art | +97 | 324 | 324 | 313 | 961 |
11. | Saint Martin's | +98 | 333 | 328 | 301 | 962 |
12. | Hawai'i Hilo | +112 | 327 | 327 | 322 | 976 |
13. | Northwest Nazarene | +113 | 341 | 320 | 316 | 977 |
14. | Simon Fraser | +130 | 333 | 336 | 325 | 994 |
15. | Montana State Billings | +169 | 353 | 336 | 344 | 1033 |
16. | Notre Dame De Namur | +182 | 365 | 341 | 340 | 1046 |
