Oct. 26, 2003
STANFORD, Calif. – Led by the freshman tandem of Cole Isban (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian HS) and Shane Sigsbee (McKinney, Texas/McKinney HS), the Notre Dame men’s golf team broke the school record for the lowest 54-hole tournament score ever, firing an 11-over par 863 to tie for 12th place at the Nelson Invitational, which concluded Sunday in Stanford, Calif. The Irish carded three consecutive sub-290 rounds (287-287-289) to close out their fall season in impressive fashion and erase the old school record of 866, which was set at the 1999 Kent State Cobra Collegiate Classic.
Competing on the par-71, 6,786-yard Stanford Golf Course, Isban and Sigsbee both turned in career-best performances. Isban posted a one-under par 212 (69-71-72) to finish in a tie for 18th place, while Sigsbee was one shot back in a 31st-place tie with an even-par 213 (70-70-73). Isban was sizzling in his last four tournaments of the fall, posting a 73.64 stroke average with a score of 73 or lower in eight of his final 11 rounds. Amazing as it might sound, Sigsbee did his teammate even better down the stretch, registering a 71.8 stroke average in his last five rounds this fall with all five circuits completed at 73 or lower.
Sophomores Tommy Balderston (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews HS) and Eric Deutsch (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes HS) also played well at the Nelson Invitational, finishing tied for 54th place at six-over par 219. Balderston closed out the fall season with a 73.25 stroke average in his last three tournaments, highlighted by four rounds of par or better. Meanwhile, Deutsch, who was competing as an individual this weekend, was in position to challenge his career-low 54-hole score before registering an 80 in Sunday’s final round. Still, he played some of his best golf of the season in his last two events, posting a 73.6 stroke average for five rounds.
Sophomore Scott Gustafson (Rochester, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) wound up in 60th place with a score of eight-over par 221 (74-75-72). Classmate Mark Baldwin (Laconia, N.H./New Hampton Prep) completed the Irish scoring with a 70th-place showing at 12-over par 225 (76-77-72).
– ND –
FINAL TEAM RESULTS (54-hole totals): 1. Duke 834 (278-281-275); 2. Washington 837 (279-278-280); 3. Colorado 842 (279-284-279); 4. Colorado State 843 (281-285-277); 5. Kansas 844 (279-283-282); 6. Texas Tech 846 (287-280-279); 7. USC 850 (280-284-286); 8. Toledo 851 (283-281-287); 9. Stanford 853 (288-287-278); 10. Hawaii-Hilo 861 (288-283-290); 11. Missouri 862 (289-287-286); 12. (tie) NOTRE DAME 863 (287-287-289) and UC Davis 863 (293-288-282); 14. Florida Southern 873 (293-288-292); 15. Idaho 877 (296-293-288).
TOP 9 INDIVIDUALS (of 81): 1. (tie) Ryan Blaum (Duke) 201 (66-69-66) and Brad Heaven (Toledo) 201 (64-68-69); 3. Nolan Martin (Colorado State) 203 (67-71-65); 4. Brock Mackenzie (Washington) 204 (69-67-68); 5. (tie) Andrew Dresser (Texas Tech) 206 (70-69-67), David Jenkins (Missouri) 206 (69-69-68) and Andrew Price (Kansas) 206 (67-68-71); 8. Nick Mason (Hawaii-Hilo) 207 (71-68-68); 9. Scott Gordon (UC Davis) 208 (72-71-65).
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 81): 18. (tie) Cole Isban 212 (69-71-72); 31. (tie) Shane Sigsbee 213 (70-70-73); 54. (tie) Tommy Balderston 219 (74-71-74) and Eric Deutsch* 219 (69-70-80); 60. (tie) Scott Gustafson 221 (74-75-72); 70. (tie) Mark Baldwin 225 (76-77-72).
* – competed as individual; score was not applied toward team score