SALEM, Ore. – Linfield men's golf has some ground to make up, but the Wildcats aren't far behind in a tight team leaderboard at the NWC Championships, hosted by Willamette at the Creekside Golf Club.
 
Linfield sits in fifth place with a team score of 310 after the first round. The Wildcats are just five strokes back of fourth-place Pacific Lutheran and six strokes back of George Fox. Willamette leads the way at 4-over-par 292. The Bearcats will take a five-stroke lead into Sunday.
 
Sophomore Riley Lynch has been Linfield's most consistent golfer this season. He sits in the top 10 in a three-way tie for ninth place with Gabe Cach of Whitworth and Gunner Nielsen of Pacific Lutheran with a score of 3-over-par 75. Lynch's day consisted of two birdies and 12 pars.
 
Fellow sophomore Chris Cayford is two strokes back of Lynch at 5-over-par 77 to finish Day 1 in a four-way tie for 14^th place. Junior Ahron Abraham wrapped up Saturday in a three-way tie for 18^th place at 6-over-par 78 while sophomore Trevor Price is tied for 25^th at 8-over-par 80. Sophomore Bryce Hatcher (84) rounds out the 'Cats in a tie for 36^th in the 45-player tournament.
 
George Fox's Dante Heitschmidt owns a one-stroke lead on the individual leaderboard with a first-round score of 2-under-par 70. Caleb Belton of Whitworth and Alex Weirth of Willamette are also under par at 71.
 
NEXT
Action resumes Sunday for Day 2 of the NWC Championships. Tee times are to be determined.