NORTH PLAINS, Ore.—Lewis & Clark golf first year Payton Richardson and senior Luke Blankinship both finished in the top-10 on Day One of the 2026 Northwest Conference Fall Classic. 
 
THE BASICS 
 
Men's Golf – T-4^th out of 9 Teams – 291 (+7)
Women's Golf – No Team Score 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 
 
Men's golf put themselves in position to finish in the top-half of the field and potentially even higher with a strong Day One. On the women's side, Richardson made her NWC debut and sits just four strokes off the lead after 18 holes. 
 
WOMEN'S RECAP 
 
Richardson and junior Lauren Raitanen represented Lewis & Clark as independents on Sunday. 
 
Richardson wrapped up the day in a tie for sixth overall. The first year notched a career-high and tournament-leading three birdies in the round to close the day with an 80 (+9). She notched third birdies and five pars and birdied one Par 3, Par 4 and Par 5. She sits just one stroke out of the top-five, three strokes out of second and four strokes behind Jayda Thomas of Pacific Lutheran who posted a 76 (+5). 
 
Raitanen made her NWC collegiate debut on Sunday. The junior recorded a 119 (+48) to finish the day in 41^stplace. 
 
MEN'S RECAP 
 
All five Lewis & Clark men's golfers finished in the top-20 on Sunday to help the team close the day within six strokes of second place. 
 
Blankinship paced the River Otters on Day One. The senior finished with a 70 (-1) to wrap up the day in a tie for seventh overall. Blankinship recorded five birdies, four bogeys and nine pars and was especially strong on the back nine. After posting a bogey on the 10^th hole, Blankinship went -2 over his final eight holes with two birdies and six pars. He sits five strokes off the lead after Willamette University's AJ Papajohn turned in a 65 (-6). 
 
Junior Joonho Moon placed second on the team and tied for 16^th overall. Coming off the best tournament of his career, Moon carded a 73 (+2) to open the tournament. He notched two birdies, two bogeys, one double bogey and 13 pars across his 18 holes. After going +2 through the first nine holes, Moon notched birdies on two of the first four holes on the back nine. 
 
Senior Kenji Pickeral, junior Mason Hill and sophomore Trae Fredrickson all finished tied for third on the team and tied for 20^th overall. The trio all posted a 74 (+3) on Sunday. 
 
Pickeral notched four birdies, three bogeys and two double bogeys on Sunday. Hill tacked on three birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey in his first round. Fredrickson carded the lone eagle of the day for Lewis & Clark and tacked on two birdies. 
 
BY THE NUMBERS 

• Richardson leads the women's field with three total birdies and a 2.80 average (-1) on Par 3s. She also sits tied for third with just two double bogeys. 
• Whitman College sits first in the men's standings after shooting a 268 (-16) on Day One. Willamette University (285, +1) and Linfield University (288, +4) each hold small leads over men's golf. The River Otters are tied with Whitworth (291, +7) and hold a five stroke lead over Pacific Lutheran University (296, +12) and the University of Puget Sound (296, +12). 
• Blankinship wrapped Day One tied for first in the field with a 2.60 average (-2) on Par 3s. 
• As a team, men's golf sits in the top-four after 18 holes in eagles (1, t-2^nd), birdies (16, t-3^rd), pars (50, t-4^th), fewest bogeys (18, t-3^rd), fewest double bogeys (5, 3^rd), Par 5 average (4.85, 2^nd), Par 4 Average (4.13, t-4^th) and Par 3 average (3.28, t-4^th). 
• Fredrickson ended the day tied for fourth in the field with a 3.78 average (-2) on Par 4s. 
• Pickeral (4.25, -3) and Hill (4.50, -2) each placed in the top-five in the field on Sunday on Par 5s.  

WHAT'S NEXT 
 
Lewis & Clark will wrap up the NWC Fall Classic on Monday at Pumpkin Ridge-Ghost Creek. All players will tee off on Monday at 9 a.m. as part of a shotgun start.