March 17, 2013
AUGUSTA, Ga. – It seems only fitting that on St. Patrick’s Day the University of Notre Dame women’s golf team prevailed on the player leaderboard as sophomore Ashley Armstrong (Flossmoor, Ill.) took home medalist honors on the third and final day of the Insperity Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate Tournament at the Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. Armstrong climbed the ranks with a 54-hole total score of a one-under-par 215 (76-69-70) to secure her second tournament title of her young collegiate career guiding the Irish to a third-place team finish.
Armstrong was one of three Irish players to secure top-10 finishes in the three-day event to lead No. 26 Notre Dame to a third-place finish with an 888 total (303-290-295). Purdue, ranked 16th, finished with 12-over-par with 876 total (295-291-290) to win the tournament, while No. 9 Vanderbilt carded a 13-over-par 877 total (290-293-294) was second. Notre Dame held off No. 22 Texas by 11 strokes (299-310-290-899) to secure its third-place finish.
Freshmen Lindsey Weaver (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Talia Campbell (Dallas, Texas) were impressive throughout the weekend tournament as well. Weaver tied for sixth with a four-over-par 220 (73-75-72), while Campbell tied for ninth with a six-over-par 222 (77-71-74). Campbell led Notre Dame in birdies throughout the three-day span with 10.
Armstrong steadily climbed the leaderboard throughout the tournament. She began the second day of competition tied for 21st and begin today’s final round tied for fourth. She capped off her final round with either a par or birdie on the final 11 holes and four birdies throughout the afternoon.
Armstrong edged out runner-up No. 39 Paula Reto from Purdue by two stokes (80-69-68). Vanderbilt’s Jenny Hahn (70-73-75) and Augusta State’s Natalie Wille (70-72-76) both tied for third with a two-over-par 218.
Armstrong’s scorecard read the lowest of her career as her best tournament score prior to today came when she tied for 13th place last April at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic with an even-par 216. During the weekend, she defeated 11 top-100 ranked opponents and four top-50 nationally ranked foes.
Armstrong becomes just the fourth golfer in program history to win two or more career tournaments. The sophomore becomes the third Irish golfer in 2012-13 to finish a tournament under par, joining sophomore Kelli Oride with one and Weaver who has three.
“Ashley (Armstrong) played well for us and shot well from the greens and fairway all day long,” said head coach Susan Holt.
As a team, Notre Dame defeated 15 of the 18 schools as it took down three top-50 teams including No. 22 Texas (fourth), No. 34 Kentucky (T-9th) and No. 48 UTSA (T-9th).
Today’s tournament marks the first time since the 2012 BIG EAST Championship that Notre Dame has had three players finish in the top-10 slots. The team’s tournament score ties for the second best this year as the Irish fired an 888 at the Windy City Classic in October.
Junior Kristina Nhim (77-81-79) and Oride (82-75-80) each tied for 56th place with a 21-over-par 237 in the field of 99 competitors.
“Overall it was a great tournament for us,” said Holt. ” We had a great week where we were able to play a lot of golf and experience some good competition. We are excited about our results and hope to carry this momentum onto the next tournament.”
Notre Dame will be in action next at the Briar’s Creek Invitational in Charleston, S.C. March 25-26. The two-day event will take place at the Briar’s Creek Golf Club. Follow und.com surrounding all the action for upcoming tournament.
TEAMS (TOP-10): 1. Purdue 876 (+12), 2. Vanderbilt 877 (+13), 3. Notre Dame 888 (+24), 4. Texas 899 (+35), 5. Augusta State 906 (+19), 6. East Carolina 907 (+43), 7. Coastal Carolina 910 (+46), 8. East Tennessee St. 920 (+56), T9. USTA 921 (+57), T9. Kentucky 921 (+57).
INDIVIDUAL (TOP-5): 1. Ashley Armstrong (Notre Dame) 215 (-1), 2. Paula Reto (Purdue) 217 (+1), T3. Jenny Hahn (Vanderbilt) 218 (+2), T3. Natalie Wille (Augusta State) 218 (+2), 5. Bertine Strauss (Texas) 219 (+3).
NOTRE DAME: 1. Ashley Armstrong 215 (76-69-70), 6. Lindsey Weaver 220 (73-75-72), T9. Talia Campbell 222 (77-71-74), T56. Kristina Nhim 237 (77-81-79), T56. Kelli Oride 237 (82-75-80).
–ND–