EAST LANSING, Mich. — Notre Dame women’s golfer Emma Albrecht shot an opening-round five-over-par 77 at the 2019 NCAA East Lansing Regional on Monday at Michigan State’s Forest Akers West Golf Course (Par 72/6,387 Yards).
After one round of play, the Fighting Irish senior is tied for 58th place in the overall field. Albrecht is one of 24 individuals representing their schools at one of the four NCAA Regional sites; East Lansing; Norman, Oklahoma (Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club); Cle Elum, Washington (Tumble Creek Golf Club); and Opelika, Alabama (Saugahatchee Country Club).
Following the first 18 holes of the NCAA East Lansing Regional, Albrecht ranked tied for second in scoring on par-5 holes with a 4.50 average following a pair of birdies on Monday. Albrecht also was even par on the par-3 holes at Forest Akers West Golf Course, ranking among the top-15 players in the tournament field.
Albrecht opened her round with four bogeys at the front nine, but rolled in a birdie at the par-5 eighth hole to make the turn in 39 (+3). A run of four straight pars into the back nine set the stage for a birdie at the par-5 13th hole that pulled Albrecht to two-over-par for the day. Three inward bogeys capped an inward score of 38 and an opening 77.
Tuesday’s second round will begin at 8 a.m., with Albrecht’s tee time slated for 8:55 a.m. Live scoring will be available via Golfstat.
From each 2019 NCAA Regional, the lowest scoring six teams and the lowest scoring three individuals not on those teams will advance to the NCAA Championship, set for May 17-22 at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
NCAA Notes
- Emma Albrecht is only the second Notre Dame player to qualify individually for an NCAA Regional since 2004, joining Noriko Nakazaki in 2007 (tied for 18th place at the NCAA Central Regional in Ann Arbor, Michigan; 72-73-79=224).
- Albrecht tied for 13th place in her previous individual NCAA appearance at the 2017 NCAA Columbus Regional with a score of 224 (75-75-74). Only Nicole Zhang (tied for eighth place at the 2011 NCAA Central Regional at the Warren Golf Course; 71-78-74=223) has ever finished higher representing the Irish at a regional site.
- The Notre Dame women’s golf team has either made an NCAA Regional as a team or sent an individual entrant in each of the past 13 seasons.
Season Snapshot
- Albrecht has enjoyed a stellar senior campaign for the Irish in 2018-19, posting a team-best 72.85 stroke average over 27 total rounds. She has fired a total of 13 rounds that finished at par or better, including eight such rounds under par (three rounds in the 60s).
- Albrecht logged seven top-25 finishes over her first nine starts this season, which included a tie for fourth place at the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational (70-71-72=213) and a share of second place at the Westbrook Invitational (70-68-70=208). She also carded seven straight rounds at par or better spanning from the third round of the Minnesota Invitational through the third round of the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational last fall.