DuPONT, Wash. – The Western Washington University men's golf team couldn't have started the 2018-19 season any better, taking the lead after the 36 holes of the Saint Martin's Invitational played Friday at The Home Course.
 
WWU finished the first two rounds with a team score of 9-under-par 567 and will take a 6-stroke lead over second-place Stanislaus State and Simon Fraser into Saturday's final round of the 18-team tournament. Western opened the tournament on the par 72, 6,929-yard course with a 4-under-par 284 in the morning round, and finished the day with a 5-under-par 283 round in the afternoon.

"Today, and even yesterday during the practice round, was a great start to the season," said head coach Luke Bennett. "The guys had a great vibe yesterday in the practice round and they kept it going today. Solid play from all the guys today."

 

Senior co-captain Cody Roth (Bellingham, WA) paced the Vikings with a 36-hole score of 4-under-par 140. He opened the day with a 1-over-par 73 in the morning round and then carded 7 birdies and an eagle in his career-low round of 5-under-par 67 in the afternoon. Roth played his final 8 holes at 5-under-par, including three consecutive birdies to finish his career-low round. 

"Cody's finish and round this afternoon was fantastic," added Bennett.
 
WWU had three players in the top 10, and all four counting scores in the top 15, of the 99-player field, with junior Ethan Casto (Snohomish, WA) in 7^th place at 3-under-par 141 (69-72) and senior co-captain Michael Butler (Sammamish, WA) tied for 8^th at 2-under-par 142 (71-71). Senior Nick Sparling (Dublin, OH/Dublin Coffman/Ohio State) rounds out the counting scores for the Vikings in a tie for 14^th place at even-par 144.
 
Freshman Jordan Lee (Tacoma, WA/Bellarmine Prep) opened his collegiate career with rounds of 76-74 to finish the first day in a tie for 45^th place at 6-over-par 150. Sophomore Brody Bonfilio (Boise, ID/Bishop Kelly) is tied for 74^th place at 10-over-par 154 playing as an individual.
 
WWU led the first day of the tournament with 116 pars and ranked 2^nd with 31 birdies. Lee is tied for 2^nd in the field with 27 pars, while Casto is tied for 3^rd with 10 birdies.
 
The final round begins Saturday morning with a shotgun start at 8 am. Complete results will be posted on WWUVikings.com at the completion of the tournament. WWU is the defending champion of the tournament after winning last season at Olympia Country & Golf Club.
 
The Vikings host the 47^th Annual WWU Invitational beginning Monday when 20 teams will play a 54-hole, three-round tournament over two days at Bellingham Golf & Country Club. The complete fall and spring schedule, as well as historical information on the program, can be viewed at WWUVikings.com/MGolf.
 

Saint Martin's Men's Golf Invitational The Home Course  8  DuPont, WA  8  Par 72  8  6,929 Yards
Pos.	Team/Player	To Par	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Total
1st	Western Washington	-9	284	283	--	567
T5	Cody Roth	-4	73	67	--	140
7	Ethan Casto	-3	69	72	--	141
T8	Michael Butler	-2	71	71	--	142
T14	Nick Sparling	E	71	73	--	144
T45	Jordan Lee	+6	76	74	--	150
T74	Brody Bonfilio (ind)	+10	79	75	--	154
Pos.	Team	To Par	Rd 1	Rd 2	Rd 3	Total
1.	Western Washington	-9	284	283	--	567
2.	Stanislaus State	-3	287	286	--	573
	Simon Fraser	-3	287	286	--	573
4.	Dixie State	-1	294	281	--	575
5.	Colorado State Pueblo	+7	296	287	--	583
6.	Saint Martin's	+9	297	288	--	585
7.	Hawai'i Hilo	+15	299	292	--	591
8.	Western New Mexico	+16	295	297	--	592
9.	Cal State San Marcos	+17	297	296	--	593
10.	UC San Diego	+18	298	296	--	594
11.	Colorado Christian	+19	295	300	--	595
12.	Academy of Art	+20	292	304	--	596
13.	Northwest Nazarene	+21	298	299	--	597
14.	Dominican (CA)	+22	303	295	--	598
15.	Concordia (OR)	+24	302	298	--	600
16.	Westminster College	+26	305	297	--	602
	Montana State Billings	+26	307	295	--	602
18.	Notre Dame De Namur	+45	30	317	--	621

  The WWU men's golf team has an incredible streak of advancing to the NCAA Championships in each of the 20 seasons the program has competed at the NCAA Division II level dating back to the 1998-99 season, including a 3^rd-place finish at the 2013 national championship. The program has produced 17 All-Americans and has won 8 of 10 Great Northwest Athletic Conference championships since the tournament debuted in 2008. The Vikings have also featured the GNAC Championships individual medalist in 7 of 11 tournaments, including 2018 champion Ethan Casto.

Love the way this guy finished this afternoon! Birdie, Birdie, Birdie! @codyfreakinroth @WWUMGolf @WWUAthletics pic.twitter.com/JgpDVyvIxG

— WWU Men's Golf (@WWUMGolf) September 22, 2018