DUPONT, Wash. – The Western Washington University women's golf team opened the 2023-24 season Monday with the first round of action at the Saint Martin's Fall Invitational at The Home Course.

 

WWU is tied for 7th place in the 11-team field after carding a 22-over-par round of 310. The wide-open field is tightly packed with the top eight teams in the standings separated by just nine strokes.

 

"I am not unhappy with our start to the season," said WWU Director of Golf Luke Bennett. "I saw some solid golf from the entire team today."

 

Sophomore Emma Worgum paced the Vikings in the opening round with a 2-over-par 74 to sit in a tie for sixth place individually. The 2022-23 First Team All-GNAC selection completed her final eight holes at 3-under-par, with three consecutive birdies to end the round.

 

"Emma had a tremendous finish to birder her last three holes," said Bennett. "A great start to her season."

 

Sophomore transfer Lauren Lee and sophomore Kasey Maralack are tied for 19th in the 58-player field with matching 5-over-par scores of 77.

 

"Lauren played very well on the front nine and Kasey played some very steady golf all day," said Bennett.

 

2023 NCAA Division III National Champion George Fox University holds the team lead at 13-over-par 301, one stroke better than Northwest Nazarene (+14, 302) and two ahead of Simon Fraser (+15, 303).

 

The Vikings first tournament of the season concludes Tuesday with tee times beginning at 7:30 am on the par 72 layout.

 

Here is a look at WWU's individual results and the team leaderboard following the first round of the Saint Martin's Fall Invitational hosted by Saint Martin's University at The Home Course:

 

Here is a look at the Vikings 2023-24 fall tournament schedule for the WWU Women's Golf program, in addition to the listing of spring postseason tournaments. All tournament recaps, season statistics and program history can be found on WWUVikings.com/WGolf.

 

 

The WWU women's golf team is in its 31st season as an intercollegiate sport in 2023-24. WWU has a rich history on the links, winning the first five GNAC Championships beginning in 2011 and returned to the podium with back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. WWU made its 12th appearance in the NCAA II West Regional Championships in 2022 after earning the GNAC's automatic bid. WWU has also made six trips to the NCAA II National Championships. A Viking has been named the GNAC Player of the Year in nine of the 12 years it has been awarded, including 2021-22 award winner Megan Billeter. WWU has also produced the only two players in GNAC history to earn four First Team All-GNAC awards (Jenn Paul and Kristen Hansen) and has had nine All-Americans.