Aug. 2, 2012
Powell, Ohio – Notre Dame women’s golfers Ashley Armstrong (So., Flossmoor, Ill.) and Kristina Nhim (Jr., Cypress, Calif.) closed out the final round of play at the Pure Silk Collegiate Team Championships Wednesday afternoon by firing rounds of 74 and 80 to give the duo a total of four-over par 292. That ties the Irish for eighth place in the tournament, six strokes behind the winning duo from the University of Tennessee, Erika Popson and A.J. Newell, who finished with a two-under par total of 286. The tournament, sponsored by the National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA), was played on the par- 72, 6,306-yard Wedgewood Golf and Country Club.
Armstrong and Nhim entered the final two rounds Wednesday tied for first after shooting three-under par 69 in the Alternate shot round on Tuesday and another 69 in Wednesday’s Best Ball round. Thursday’s action was aggregate scores that saw Armstrong fire the two-over 74 and Nhim, an eight-over par 80 for a 10-over par 154.
Tennessee started the day four strokes behind the Irish, South Carolina and Vanderbilt but Popson and Newell combined for an even-par 144 in the final two rounds to finish with a two-under par 286. That was good enough to edge out the South Carolina duo of Meredith Swanson and Samantha Swinehart as they combined for a five-over par 149 to finish one-under par at 287. Ohio State and Iowa tied for third with even par 288s while Mississippi, Michigan State and Vanderbilt tied for fifth with two-over par 290s.
Armstrong was two-over par on the front nine after registering bogeys at five and nine. A double bogey on 10 dropped her to four over par after 10 holes, but the talented sophomore rallied with birdies at 13 and 16 to finish with her two-over par 74.
Nhim finished the tournament with an eight-over par 80. She had two double bogeys on the front nine to go with a bogey and a birdie for a four-over par to start. On the back, she added five bogeys and one birdie to finish her round with an 80.
A total of 108 players (54 teams) are playing in the field that is made up of pairs of players from the same schools from all levels of collegiate golf, including Division I, II and III.
The Wedgewood Golf & Country Club is an 18-hole private facility, considered one of the most challenging courses in Central Ohio. Opened in 1991, the golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
Top 10 Teams (FINAL)
1. Tennessee -2 78-64-144-2862. South Carolina -1 72-66-149-2873. Ohio State E 79-66-143-288 Iowa E 73-67-148-2885. Mississippi +2 76-68-146-290 Michigan State +2 73-68-149-290 Vanderbilt +2 72-66-152-2908. Notre Dame +4 69-69-154-292 Oklahoma +4 74-69-149-292 Eastern Michigan +4 77-67-148-29211. Washington +6 78-66-150-294