For the Chico State men's golf team, the countless preseason practice rounds are now officially in the rearview mirror. Beginning Monday, it's all business, and every shot counts. As September winds down, the Wildcats lift the lid on the 2022–23 season at the two-day Western Washington Invitational, taking place at the Bellingham Golf and Country Club in Bellingham, Washington.
The 'Cats will be among 17 teams competing on the par-72, 6,610-yard course. Chico State's season-opening tournament is a 54-hole affair, with two rounds scheduled for Monday and a final 18 holes on Tuesday.
Fans can follow the results throughout the tournament online via Live Stats. The link is available on the Chico State website home page and the men's golf schedule page.
The Wildcats are the defending Western Washington Invitational champions, rallying from six shots back in the final round to win the rain-shortened 2021 event by two strokes. The field should not have to worry about wet conditions at this year's tournament, as the forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and 70 degree temperatures on both Monday and Tuesday.
Chico State head coach Nick Green's season-opening lineup includes junior Tyler Ashman, and sophomores Dakota Ochoa, Travis Miller, and Mark Noonan. Freshman Naoki Easterday will make his Wildcats debut, rounding out the quintet.
The four returners all played at last year's Western Washington Invitational and posted solid performances. Ashman (fourth) and Noonan (sixth) both posted Top 10 individual finishes; Ochoa tied for 22nd, and Miller earned a share of 32nd place in the 55-player field.
Joining Chico State among the 17-team field are fellow California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) schools Cal State East Bay and Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Pacific West Conference sends Academy of Art, Dominican, Holy Names, Hawaii Hilo, Hawaii Pacific, and Chaminade to the tournament, with the Great Northwest Athletic Conference represented by Saint Martin's, Simon Fraser, Montana State-Billings, Northwest Nazarene, and host school Western Washington. Also competing are Canadian schools University of Victoria, University of the Fraser Valley, and University of British Columbia-Okanagan.
