SPOKANE, Wash. – The Whitworth Pirates opened the 2026-27 men's golf season with high hopes on Sunday and Monday, hosting the Whitworth Fall Invitational at Indian Canyon Golf Course.

The Pirates got off to a slow start on Sunday, but bounced back with the field's best score in Monday's round to move up three places in the team standings and finish fifth out of 11 teams.  Whitworth's B squad finished in 10^th place, third among the four B teams competing.

Kellen Maioho shot a 71-67 – 138 (-4) to finish in a tie for third place individually.  He moved up seven spots on the leaderboard on Monday.  Whitman's Grady Brown was the medalist with a 68-67 – 134 (-7). 

The next two Whitworth individuals were Mason Bradford, playing for the B team, and Luke Nelson, playing as an independent competitor.  Bradford shot 76-69 – 145 to move up 21 spots into 18^th place on Monday.  Nelson (74-72 – 146) finished in a tie for 21^st place.

Caleb Fornshell, playing for the A squad, posted a 78-68 – 146, to move up 28 positions on Monday to a tie for 21^st.  Andy Hobson (77-71 – 148) finished in a tie for 28^th, Peyton Simonds (76-73 – 149) finished tied for 32^nd along with Max Hosfeld (73-76 – 149).

After posting a round of 297 (+13) on Sunday that left them in eighth place, the Whitworth A team shot 279 (-5) on Monday.  That Monday score was better than any other team in the field.

The final team scores were: Whitman 556 (-12), Linfield 567 (-1), Willamette 571, Pacific Lutheran 573, Whitworth 576, Linfield (B) 580, George Fox 587, Whitman (B) 591, Willamette (B) 595, Whitworth (B) 601, Pacific Lutheran (B) 604.

The Pirates will return to action on Sept. 26-27 at the Chambers Bay Invitational, which Whitworth will host in University Place, Washington.