2011 NWC Golf Student-Athletes of the Week

April 19

Men

Max Bonk

Pacific, Senior

Kamuela, Hawaii/Hawaii Prep

Bonk shot a five-under par to take the lead after the first round and came back in his second round to shoot a four-under-par to finish eight strokes ahead of the field. He has a 72.5 average during the spring season.

Honorable Mention –

Matt Kitto (Puget Sound, Fr. – Lake Oswego, Ore./Lakeridge HS)

Jesse Salzwedel (Whitworth, Fr. – Wilsonville, Ore./Wilsonville HS)

Kyle Wilson (George Fox, So. – Scappoose, Ore./Scappoose HS)

Jacob Simonson (Willamette, Fr. – Fairview, Ore./Reynolds HS)

Women

Kelsey Morrison

George Fox, Sophomore

Yucca Valley, Calif./Joshua Springs Christian HS

Morrison led the 10th-ranked Bruins to a 49-stroke victory in the Pacific Spring Invitational at Pumpkin Ridge in North Plains, Ore., with an 11-over-par 75-78=153, taking medalist honors by 11 strokes over Emily Guthrie of Whitworth. She was the only player to shoot a sub-80 round on either day on the wet and difficult Ghost Creek course.

Honorable Mention –

Emily Guthrie (Whitworth, So. – Snohomish, Wash./Snohomish)

April 12

Men

Max Bonk

Pacific, Senior

Kamuela, Hawaii/Hawaii Prep

Bonk shot one-over-par 73 to finish with medalist honors at the Whitman Invitational with a two-stroke lead over the second-place finisher. This is his fourth first-place finish of the spring season.

Honorable Mention –

Brian Barton (Whitman, Sr. – Pasco, Wash./Pasco HS)

Women

Emily Guthrie

Whitworth, Sophomore

Snohomish, Wash./Snohomish

Guthrie earned her third medalist finish of 2010-11 at the Whitman Invitational, finishing two shots ahead of the second-place finisher.

Honorable Mention –

Kelsey Morrison (George Fox, So. – Yucca Valley, Calif./Joshua Springs Christian HS)

Katie Zajicek (Whitman, Fr. – Corvallis, Ore./Corvallis HS)

April 5

Men

Max Bonk

Pacific, Senior

Kamuela, Hawaii/Hawaii Prep

Bonk won the NWC Spring Classic for the fourth time in his career, shooting an even par 72 in the first round and a three-over-par 75 in the second round to finish four strokes ahead with a 147.

Honorable Mention –

Yutaro Sakamoto (Linfield, Sr. – Mountain View, Calif./Santa Barbara City College)

Cameron Whittle (Whitworth, Sr. – Moses Lake, Wash./Walla Walla CC)

Women

Katie Zajicek

Whitman, Freshman

Corvallis, Ore./Corvallis HS

Zajicek, a first-year player, shot 79 in Saturday’s windstorm, and then shot 79 again on Sunday to win the NWC Spring Classic by six strokes, and to lead a young Whitman team to first place in the team scoring. It was the first time a Whitman women’s player has taken medalist honors at one of the three primary NWC tournaments, and the first time the Whitman women have placed first in the team scoring at one of the events.

Honorable Mention –

Valerie Kitmori (Pacific, Sr. – Hilo, Hawaii/Waiakea)

Jill Westendorf (George Fox, So. – Redmond, Ore./Redmond HS)

Emily Guthrie (Whitworth, So. – Snohomish, Wash./Snohomish)

March 29

Women

Brianna Nap

George Fox, Senior

Deer Park, Wash./Deer Park HS

Nap led the Bruins to a 334-326=660 score that won the eight-team Santa Cruz (Calif.) Invitational at Pasatiempo Golf Club by 23 strokes over runner-up Mary Hardin Baylor. She earned medalist honors as the only player to shoot sub-80 rounds on either day in wet weather on a very difficult course. She has led George Fox to a No. 13 national ranking by Golf World/NGCA and No. 8 in Golfstats.com ratings.

Honorable Mention –

Valerie Kitmori (Pacific, Sr. – Hilo, Hawaii/Waiakea)

March 22

Men

Max Bonk

Pacific, Senior

Kamuela, Hawaii/Hawaii Prep

Bonk shot a one-over-par 73 on the first day and a three-over-par 75 on day two to finish first at the Lewis & Clark Invitational by 11 strokes.

Honorable Mention –

Kyle Wilson (George Fox, So. – Scappoose, Ore./Scappoose HS)

Greg Kirkpatrick (Puget Sound, Sr. – Longview, Wash./Mack Morris HS)

Women

Mandy Cameron

George Fox, Senior

Redmond, Ore./Redmond HS

Cameron led the 13th-ranked Bruins, who trailed by six strokes after the first day, to a comeback win over 9th-ranked St. Mary’s IN 616-623 in the GFU Women’s Spring Invitational at Westbrook Village GC in Peoria, Ariz. She tied the GFU 18-hole record low score with a 72 on the second day. She tied for second, nine strokes behind St. Mary’s All-American Kate Boyce.

Honorable Mention –

Sarah Bicker (Puget Sound, Sr. – Salt Lake City, Utah/Skyline HS)

Katie Zajicek (Whitman, Fr. – Corvallis, Ore./Corvallis HS)

March 15

Men

Kyle Derby

Willamette, Freshman

Oakdale, Calif./Oakdale HS

Derby was Willamette’s low scorer in a dual meet with crosstown rival Corban at Creekside Golf Club in Salem on Friday, March 11 with a score of 90. Derby was a place-kicker on the Willamette football team in the fall and joined the golf team for the spring season.

Honorable Mention – 

Women

Brynn Hurdus

Linfield, Senior

Gig Harbor, Wash./Gig Harbor

Hurdus sits in first place after round one at the Pacific Lutheran Invitational. Her score of five-over-par 77 puts her three strokes ahead of the second-place golfer.

Honorable Mention –

Tate Head (Whitman, So. – Bellingham, Wash./Sehome HS)

March 8

Men

Matt Kitto

Puget Sound, Freshman

Lake Oswego, Ore./Lakeridge HS

Kitto fired a team-best 72 on both days of the Logger Invitational to finish second in the tournament.

Honorable Mention –

Max Bonk (Pacific, Sr. – Kamuela, Hawaii/Hawaii Prep)

Women

Kelsey Morrison

George Fox, Sophomore

Yucca Valley, Calif./Joshua Springs Christian HS

Morrison placed third out of 44 golfers after being tied for the lead on the first day. Two golfers ahead of her (who tied for medalist honors) were from a D-II school and a Canadian college. She led the Bruins to a third-place finish out of eight teams behind D-II #13 Western New Mexico and host D-IILewis.

Honorable Mention –

Sarah Bicker (Puget Sound, Sr. – Salt Lake City, Utah/Skyline HS)

Valerie Kitamori (Pacific, Sr. – Hilo, Hawaii/Waiakea)

Haylee Chung (Willamette, So. – Hilo, Hawaii/Hilo HS)