CRESWELL, Ore. – It didn’t take long for the University of British Columbia to make their presence felt as an associate member of the Cascade Collegiate Conference. The Thunderbirds closed out the first day of the NCU Invitational holding a 12-shot lead on the men’s side while sitting just one stroke back on the women’s side.
The UBC men will take a 12-shot lead into the third and final round at Emerald Valley Golf Course after a two-round score of 591. The Thunderbirds took a four stroke lead over host NCU after the first round, 296-300 and stretched the lead even further as they improved one stroke in the afternoon. Oregon Tech sits in second place (603) followed closely by Corban University (605) and Northwest Christian (607).
Andrew Harrison broke 70 in both of his rounds to lead the T-Birds, scoring a seven-under 137 to take a commanding eight-shot lead over OIT’s Alejandro Armijo and The College of Idaho’s Clancy Cockerham (+1, 145). Rounding out the top-six are Josh Miller from University of Victoria, reigning CCC Player of the Year Josh Goins from Northwest Christian University, and Logan Carver from UBC, all tied at four-over (148).
The 2018 CCC Women’s Champion Oregon Tech Owls picked up where they left off as they opened up play in the NCU Invitational with a one-shot lead over the University of British Columbia at Emerald Valley Golf Course.
OIT shot 314 in Monday’s opening round to hold a slim one-shot lead over UBC, newly added associate member of the Cascade Collegiate Conference. A pair of non-conference schools follow in third (University of Victoria, 318) and fourth (Northwest Nazarene, 333). Corban rounds out the top-five with a first-round score of 361.
The individual race is a tight one with the top eight golfers all separated by just five shots. UBC’s Kelly Hellman shot a 74 to take the lead, followed by OIT’s Payton Canon at 75. Tied at third with matching 77’s were Sukriti Harjai from Victoria and reigning CCC Championship medalist Stephanie Koza from OIT. Natalie Mullins (College of Idaho, 78) rounds out the top-five.
The NCU Invitational will conclude play with 18 more holes on Tuesday morning.