SPOKANE, Wash. – Experiencing a day of adversity on the golf links, the Linfield Wildcats sputtered to a sixth-place tie after the first round Sunday at the Whitworth Fall Invitational being held at Spokane Country Club.

Unaffected by his team’s ups and downs, Linfield senior Alex Fitch is among the contenders for medalist honors after the first day of action. Fitch sits tied for third place with Whitworth’s Christian Boudreau and Puget Sound’s Matt Kitto, all with even-par 72s.

Dustin Hegge of Pacific Lutheran carded the day’s best round with a 4-under 68. Whitworth’s Jesse Salzwedel is second after 18 holes at 71. Puget Sound and host Whitworth stand tied for the top spot in the team standings at 296, one stroke better than PLU. Linfield and Whitman shot matching 309s to share sixth place.

The remainder of the Wildcats are positioned no where near the top of the leaderboard. Three ‘Cats were perched in a tie for 30th place at 7-over-par after the first day. Freshmen Ryan Nolan (Soph., Tigard, Ore.) and Taylor Pirnke (Soph., Mill Creek, Wash.) joined sophomore Tommy Schmitz (Jr., Gresham, Ore.) at 79, one stroke ahead of Thomas Arand (Soph., McMinnville, Ore.), who sits in 34th place.

Normally reliable A.J. Taylor (Jr., Kirkland, Wash.) is even further back, shooting an 82 to fall into a tie for 41st place.

NEXT: The tournament wraps up with 18 holes Monday at Spokane C.C.