TUALATIN, Ore. --- Linfield women's golf kicked off their first event of the Fall season on Monday and Tuesday, starting a roster that features five freshman Wildcats. Kariss Whitford led the 'Cats in the first action of 2025-26, earning 14^th with rounds of 80 and 91. 
 
Whitford began her collegiate career on the right foot, firing an opening-round 80, highlighted by a birdie on the par-four second hole. She made eight pars and was the long Wildcat to not make worse than bogey on any hole. In fourth after the first round, Whitford closed the tournament with a 90 to take 14^th place. Sophia Hamilton was consistent, firing two rounds of 90, good for 18^th place for the tournament.
 
Breleigh Garcia shot a 93 in round one, but bounced back with a team-best 89 in the final round to move up one spot into 21^st. Her second round was a testament to her final nine hole effort, shooting a two-over 37 on the back nine to improve by 15 strokes between the two nines. Garcia strung together seven holes of par or better, including sinking a birdie on the par-five 11^th hole. 
 
Addison Nations completed the team score for both days, with a 103 in the opening round, but a 99 on Tuesday moved her up a spot to take 23^rd. Ainsley Kelley shot rounds of 109 and 105 to close out the Wildcat's roster, earning 25^th place.
 
As a team, Linfield shot rounds of 366 and 369, taking fourth as a team. UC-Santa Cruz captured the individual and team titles, with totals of 312 and 317. Statistically, Whitford cracked the top-ten individually in par-three scoring, averaging a score of 3.50 on the par three's.
 
The 'Cats are back in action in less than a week, heading to DuPont, Washington, for the Pacific Lutheran Invitational hosted by PLU at The Home Course on Monday and Tuesday. 
 
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