Poets' comeback lands them eighth out of 12

LOMPOC, Calif. - The Whittier College golf team finished in a tie for eighth place on Tuesday after it ended the California Lutheran University Kingsmen Invitational with a final three-round score of 1017 at La Purisima Golf Course. 

The Poets found themselves in last place after the first round on Monday. As a team they shot a 353 on the par 72 course (par 288 for a four-man team).

Whittier knocked off 11 strokes from its first round score on Tuesday morning. The purple and gold shot a 342 and moved to 10th place out of 12 teams. Nikhil Bhardwaj shot a team-low 78 which was the fourth lowest score of the round.

The purple and gold continued its comeback as they shot a final-round 322 to finish eighth. Their third round score was only bettered by nationally ranked Redlands (307) and La Verne (309).

Ryan Kitabayashi shot a final round four-over par 76 while Paul Gray shot a 77. Kitabayashi's score was the third lowest total of the round.