It’s business as usual for Western Washington University golfer David Sibbett, who has quickly made his presence felt on Western’s golf program after transferring from Highline College this year.
He joined the Western golf team this season and in the last four tournaments he has led the team. Sibbett placed in the top 15 in the last three tournaments he competed in, placing 14th, fifth and first, respectively.
The first two tournament finishes helped David win back-to-back Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Golfer of the Week awards. Sibbett’s big win at the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational helped launch him to the top 30 in the NCAA Division II golf rankings.
“It felt good to be recognized, but it felt more of a result than it was an achievement. It just happened to be the result of playing good,” said Sibbett of his back-to-back GNAC golfer of the week awards. “My ultimate goal of the tournament wasn't to become GNAC athlete of the week, it was to go there and put up really good numbers.”
Director of Golf Luke Bennett saw Sibbett’s talent early in his lone season at Highline.
“I did not get a ton of recognition until I started playing really good, but before then, Luke was already reaching out to me, trying to get me to come here,” Sibbett said. “No one had really given me a chance until that point. So I was very grateful and very happy that he was able to bring me out here.”
It wasn’t a walk in the park for Sibbett at Western. He began his career placing 29 out of 104, finishing with one above par at the Pioneer Shootout in Alameda, Calif., on March 10 and 11.
“I think the key is, in difficult situations, to not panic. And I think for David, throughout his traveling career here, and even when we're qualified, I don't see the young man panic,” Bennett said. “He sticks to his routine. He sticks to what he knows he can do. He trusts he's put in the work.”
To develop into the player he is today, he studied volleyball players and Major League Baseball players to establish a strong base with a lot of power.
“I studied Cody Bellinger. One thing I've studied from him is a very quick hip rotation, very quick rising of the hips through impact. He does it so naturally,” Sibbet said. “I have very quick hips because of him. That's how I get all my power.”
While a baseball swing is generally something you shy away from in golf, Sibbett has no plans of changing it. It has helped him dominate in his drives, which is the part of his game he's most proud of.
“I'm not a huge guy, but I hit the ball a good ways,” Sibbett said. “I would say I'm in the top 50 in distance. Usually, people don't like a baseball swing in golf, but I love it. It's just something I do.”
Sibbett is constantly working on his technique and form, always trying to improve the elements that aren’t his strongest. He said Putting was the biggest thing that helped him win at the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational in Turlock, Calif., on April 14 and 15.
“I did putt drastically better than I usually did, a lot in part due to the help I have been receiving from my teammates and coach this past few weeks,” Sibbett said.
David Sibbett reads the green to prepare for a putt at Bellingham Golf and Country Club on April 10, 2025. David went on to make the putt with ease. // Photo by Chayton Engelson
The teammates Sibbett has been receiving the most support from are Men’s Golf Captain Peter Yahr and Ryan Vest, two players who he considers his closest friends on the team. Sibbett, though, has also helped Western’s golf team improve by bringing his own knowledge to the team.
“He brings a lot of new drills to the team and makes us think about what kind of shots we want to see,” Yahr said in an email. “He tells us how important it is to have a pre-shot routine.”
Sibbett values practicing and perfecting his form, working as hard as possible to outdo the rest. He is out on the course every day honing his skills.
“I feel like I'm kind of a psychopath,” Sibbett said. “I focus a lot more on technique than a lot of players on the team.”
While being a college athlete isn’t easy, Sibbett is taking it head-on. He will try to carry his momentum into the GNAC Championships in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, on April 21 and 22.
Chayton Engelson (he/him) is a sports and recreation reporter for the Front. He is in his first year at Western and is majoring in news/editorial journalism. When he isn’t covering stories, he is usually doing community theater, playing an instrument, or playing basketball with his friends. You can reach him at chaytonengelson.thefront@gmail.com.
