TYLER SCOTT
Director of Athletic Communications
scotttj@plu.edu
Mitchell Baldridge followed Saturday’s career-best round with another under-par round to claim medalist honors and lead the Pacific Lutheran men’s golf team to a second-place finish at the 2016 Puget Sound Invitational at Gold Mountain Golf Club.
“The guys played very well this weekend,” PLU head coach Kris Swanson said. “I was really impressed with their attitudes and patience, not only this weekend but the last couple weeks. They don’t let the weather bother them, and they play hard despite the conditions we have to play through sometimes.”
Baldridge carded a 4-under 68 Saturday – the best round of his collegiate career – and clinched medalist honors Sunday with a 1-under 71 to finish the weekend at 5-under 139 at the par-72, 6338-yard course. That helped the Lutes compile a team score of 590, the lowest in recent program history, to lead all Northwest Conference teams at the tournament. Only Olympic College’s team score of 577 beat the Lutes.
Justin Lee placed ninth overall, scoring an even-par 72 Sunday to finish the weekend at 2-over 146. Sevryn Modahl tied for 15th with a score of 152 (77-75), while Kyle Drugge knocked five strokes off his first round tally to score 74 Sunday and finish 21st at 153 (79-74). Thomas Huddleston rounded out the Lutes’ quintet tying for 30th with a weekend total of 158 (79-79).
“All the guys contributed this weekend,” Swanson said. “A few guys had the opportunity to step up and compete, and they did. On an individual note, it was great to see Mitchell take medalist honors. It’s hard to play that well in one round and then follow it up with another solid final round shooting under par. It shows a lot of maturity and awareness of his game.”
As a team PLU finished 14 strokes over par and four strokes ahead of third place Willamette (594). Whitworth placed fourth (599), followed by Lewis & Clark (610), Linfield (624), Puget Sound (672), Pacific (688) and Whitman (726).
The Lutes have a break in their spring schedule for the rest of the month, as their next tournament action is scheduled to be the NWC Spring Classic at Walla Walla’s Wine Valley Golf Club April 9-10.
