LAS VEGAS – Opening the 2019 spring season on Friday, the Montana State University Billings men's golf team played the first two rounds at the Minot State Beaver Invitational at Aliante Golf Club.
 
The Yellowjackets posted a two-round score of 658 (331-327) on the par-72, 6,960-yard course, and are in eighth place among the field of 10 teams. "It was a tough day for the guys," commented MSUB head coach Jeff Allen. "Conditions were not ideal, and the course is firm. The main objective is to keep the ball in play, and that's something we struggled with. It was our first round of the new year on grass, but we are a better team than what we showed. The important thing is that they don't let a day like today discourage them for the rest of the spring. They'll take it as a learning opportunity, and realize that we have a lot of work to do. We need to continue to try to get better every day."
 
Junior Garrett Woodin was MSUB's top performer on Friday, posting a two-round total of 158. Woodin followed an 81 in the opening round by cutting off four strokes and finishing with a 77 his second time through the course.
 
It was the lone sub-80 score of the day however, as the Yellowjackets saw their first action of the spring after a long, cold winter in Billings.
 
Payton Stott is in a tie for 28th place, after shooting a two-round score of 160. Stott played consistently throughout the day, with a score of 80 in each round.
 
Caleb Trost carded a 168 on Friday, as the sophomore notched scores of 85 and 83 in his first outing of the spring. Logan Martin is in a tie for 46th after shooting a score of 172 (85-87), and Riley Kaercher rounded out MSUB's field of competitors in a tie for 51st with a 174 (87-87).
 
Isaac Westlake and Ben Jasper of Winona State University are tied for first place, after each shooting a two-round total of 147 on Friday. Westlake's 3-under-par 69 in Round 1 marked the only sub-70 round by any player on Friday. Winona State shot a 596 (298-298), and holds a 13-stroke lead over second-place Rocky Mountain College.
 
THE BUZZ: Woodin was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day.
 
NEXT UP: The third and final round begins at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning.
 
Minot State University Beaver Invitational
Day 1 Results | March 8, 2019
Aliante Golf Club | Las Vegas, Nevada
Team – 1. Winona State University, 596 (298-298); 8. MSU Billings, 658 (331-327). Individuals – T1. Isaac Westlake, WSU, 147 (69-78); Ben Jasper, WSU, 147 (73-74); T21. Garrett Woodin, MSUB, 158 (81-77); T28. Payton Stott, MSUB, 160 (80-80); T42. Caleb Trost, MSUB, 168 (85-83); T46. Logan Martin, MSUB, 172 (85-87); T51. Riley Kaercher, MSUB, 174 (87-87).