PORTLAND, Ore. --- The Pacific Lutheran University Men's Golf team began the 2024 campaign on Monday and Tuesday at the Orange & Black Tournament hosted by Lewis & Clark College. The Lutes led the team standings following round one, finishing the tournament in third place as a team. Junior Koen Solis led the Lutes with his second-place finish.
 
Solis began the opening round three-under through four holes, thanks to a two on the par-four fourth hole. Solis sunk a punch shot from the trees over a hundred yards out to find the bottom of the cup. A two-under 34 on the front nine was followed up by a 37 on the back to open the junior's season with a one-under 71. Sitting in second place following the opening round, Solis sunk fives birdies along with five bogeys in the final round to shoot even-par 71. His one-under 143 total was good enough for second place, finishing three strokes behind the medalist from Redlands.
 
Sophomore Tanner Frinell began his tournament with a one-under front nine in the opening round, which propelled him to a 72 through the first 18 holes. Tuesday's opening nine was not as clean as the first, as the sophomore finished with a 78 in the final round. Frinell cards his first top-20 of the season, taking 18^th place individually.
 
Freshman Soren Bostrom, competing as the Lutes No.2 in his first collegiate tournament, made six birdies over the 36-hole event, shooting 74, 77 and finishing in 22^nd place.
 
Marcus Otto led the Lutes with Solis in scoring average for the 2023-24 season, but he began his sophomore campaign with a 75, 81 performance. Otto could not avoid the big numbers at Tualatin Country Club, but his effort was good enough for a 35^th-place finish.
 
Sophomore Luke Butler rounded out the Lutes team in Portland. He began the tournament with an 88 in round one, but improved by ten strokes in the final round, shooting a 78 to be the Lutes fourth counting score on their way to a third-place finish as a team. Butler wrapped up his season debut with a 58^th-place finish.
 
Freshman Geo Pirrie also made his collegiate debut on Monday and Tuesday's tournament as an individual. Pirrie fired an 83 in the opening round, but rebounded with five birdies in the final round to shoot 73. The Spokane, Wash. native finished tied with Otto in 35^th place individually.
 
The Lutes began their 2024-25 campaign by beating seven of eight possible Northwest Conference teams with a 597, only behind Whitman who shot a combined 588 as a team. The 305 in round two was just enough to beat out Whitworth who finished two-strokes behind the Lutes after two rounds. Redlands took home the team champion honors on Tuesday, with a four-over 580 in the tournament.
 
The Lutes will get back in action next Monday through Wednesday in Bellingham at the WWU Invitational, a 54-hole event at Bellingham Golf & Country Club.
 
To follow Lutes coverage all season long, please follow us on social media; PLU Athletics on Facebook, @GoLutes on X.com and Instagram.