RAYMOND – In the opening event of the 2015-16 men's golf season at Eagle Ridge Golf Course, Northwest shot a two-day total of 648 to finish in eighth place at the Hinds Invitational. 

In the first year of the newly-approved fall-spring schedule, the Rangers will play in four events in the fall and four in the spring. Northwest will host an event March 8-9 at Back Acres.

Gulf Coast fired a 579 (+3) to win the event, just edging out Meridian by three strokes. East Central (600), Co-Lin (610) and East Mississippi (611) rounded out the Top 5 team finishes.

Sophomore Walker Wilkinson just missed out on his second career Top 25 finish, carding a 78-78 to place in a tie for 26th. Sam Davis and Ryan Burchfield each finished in a tie for 36th, followed by Scott Hensley in 47th and Devon Thomas in 50th. 

Northwest hopes for a better finish in its next event, returning to the links on Sept. 19-20 at the Northeast Invitational at Shiloh Ridge Golf Course.