Men’s golf wins NWC Championship
- Ruby Hampton, Staff Writer
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
In a game defined by precision under pressure and strategic mastery, the Willamette golf team is up to par. Finishing No. 2 at the NWC Championship tournament, the Bearcats were still named the Northwest Conference Champions based on their performances across all three NWC events this year – the Fall Classic, Spring Classic and NWC Championship. Their success has earned them an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship tournament.
Oliver Smith (ʼ26) and Brock Olson (ʼ26) received Northwest Conference first-team honors, with Smith being named the NWC Player of the Year. To put the cherry on top, Willamette's golf director and head coach, Patrick Daugherty, was named the NWC Coach of the Year, concluding their regular 2025 golf season.
This success wasn’t just handed to the Bearcats; stiff competition against Whitman and close stroke averages coming into the NWC Championship kept the ʼCats on their toes and pushed even their best players.
When asked about how the seasons progressed, head coach Patrick Daugherty explained,
“They [the team] found themselves playing good golf at the right time, in the biggest moments, when it mattered the most. That shows a lot of character and a lot of determination, so I knew we were on the right track.”
Although golf is a one-player sport, Smith attributed a lot of their success to the team’s chemistry. “We are all trying to bring each other up and do our best. At practice, we help each other out and we play games. It’s way easier to get better when you have a bunch of good players around and especially good friends.” Smith also expressed that his coaches stress attitude more than performance, reflecting on the importance of moving on when your swing doesn’t go your way.
The Bearcats registered a score of 298 on day two of the NWC tournament, besting their opening round score by only one stroke. Alexander Papajohn (ʼ27) finished No. 5 overall in the event, shooting a two-day total of 146, recording a 74 on day two after an opening round 72. Smith moved up to No. 7 after consecutive rounds of 74 to finish at 4-over-par for the tournament. Brock Olson (ʼ26), who had tied Papajohn for low-round on day one, shot a second-round 78 to finish in a tie for No. 12.
All in all, the Bearcats bested the defending champions Whitman’s stroke total 1,737-1,744 across all three events.
The NCAA Men's Golf Championship is scheduled to take place at the Midvale Country Club in Penfield, New York, from May 20-23, 2025. This will be the fifth time in the last six years that the team has competed in the championship event.
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