KENNEWICK, Wash. – Linfield’s Alex Fitch set the pace at the opening day of the Northwest Conference Championship Tournament, firing a 4-under-par 68 to lead by one stroke over the first 18 holes at Canyon Lakes Golf Course.

Fitch is among three Wildcats who find themselves among the top-10 golfers after Day 1, helping Linfield forge a five-stroke advantage over eight other NWC teams. Linfield carded a 5-over 293.

Whitworth, also with three golfers slotted among the top 10, sits at 298. Pacific Lutheran and Puget Sound share third place, each at 303, whilte Pacific is fifth at 311. Willamette (314), Whitman (319), George Fox (325) and Lewis & Clark (376) round out the team scoring.

In addition to Fitch, Linfield’s Connor Magnuson (Soph., Albany, Ore.) turned in an impressive round. Magnuson, who joined the team in the spring after competing in football during the fall, shot a 1-over 73 to share third place. Taylor Klopp (Soph., Eugene, Ore.), another promising first-year player, is tied for seventh place at 74, two strokes in front of teammate A.J. Taylor (Jr., Kirkland, Wash.), who carded a 78 to grab a share of 18th place. Tommy Schmitz (Jr., Gresham, Ore.) is tied for 32nd at 83.

In close pursuit of Fitch are PLU’s Dustin Hegge, one stroke back at 69, Whitworth’s Joey Degroff, Puget Sound’s Nick Kelley, and Pacific’s Garrett Knowles, all at 73.

The NWC Championship Tournament represents half of the total points involved in determining the 2011-12 NWC team champion. Linfield, the defending NWC champion, entered this weekend’s tournament leading the field by two points.

Action resumes Sunday at Canyon Lakes.