Nov. 23, 2006
POIPU, Kauai, Hawaii – Notre Dame wrapped the fall portion of its 2006-07 season with an eighth-place finish at the Aloha Purdue Collegiate Invitational, which concluded Thursday afternoon at the Kiahuna Golf Club (par 70/6,885 yards) in Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii. Playing in the Aloha State and on Thanksgiving for the first time in program history, the Irish carded a three-round score of 34-over par 874 (283-299-292) and ended up 27 strokes back of tourney champion (and 23rd-ranked) Texas, and just three shots behind top-ranked Alabama.
Sophomore Josh Sandman (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) continued his remarkable run of consistency as a collegian, tying for 14th place with a five-over par 215 (66-77-72). It was Sandman’s eighth top-25 finish in 10 career tournaments, with his opening-round 66 also setting a new personal-low total, one shot better than the 67 he shot in the final round of last month’s Prestige at PGA WEST.
Senior All-America candidate Cole Isban (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) also was solid this week, tying for 17th place at six-over par 216 (69-74-73). Isban has placed 20th or better in all five of his tournaments this year, not to mention nine of his last 13 events, dating back to last season. Isban’s opening-round 69 also was his third score in the 60s this year, matching Sandman for the team lead.
Senior co-captain Adam Gifford (Plymouth, Ind./Plymouth) was among a group of golfers who shared 23rd place, firing a career-best nine-over par 219 (73-74-72). Gifford’s previous-low tournament score was a 220 in The Prestige at PGA WEST. He also picked up his third top-25 finish of the season, a campaign that has seen him become a mainstay in the Irish lineup.
Junior Eddie Peckels (Pinehurst, N.C./Pope John Paul II (Fla.)) held down the 36th place in the individual standings with a 14-over par 224 (75-74-75). Meanwhile, freshman Carl Santos-Ocampo (Naples, Fla./Community School of Naples) closed out his first tournament with the Irish varsity five in 45th place at 26-over par 236 (76-82-78).
Notre Dame will return to action in the spring, beginning on Feb. 19-20 at the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The tournament, which will be hosted by North Florida at the Sawgrass Country Club, will feature a high-powered field that includes top-10 teams Alabama, UCLA and Coastal Carolina.
— ND —
Aloha Purdue Collegiate Invitational
Nov. 22-23, 2006 • Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii
Kiahuna Golf Club (par 70/6,885 yards)
FINAL TEAM SCORES (54-hole totals): 1. Texas 847 (279-291-277); 2. Michigan 853 (281-294-278); 3. Purdue 856 (279-288-289); 4. Virginia Tech 857 (284-295-278); 5. Clemson 859 (292-280-287); 6. Pepperdine 863 (288-296-279); 7. Alabama 871 (290-298-283); 8. NOTRE DAME 874 (283-299-292); 9. Rice 898 (298-304-296).
TOP SIX INDIVIDUALS PLUS NOTRE DAME GOLFERS (of 45): 1. (tie) Kyle Stanley* (Clemson) 207 (71-67-69) and Drew Weaver (Virginia Tech) 207 (71-68-68); 3. (tie) Tim Schaetzel (Michigan) 208 (68-71-69) and Peter Richardson 208 (63-71-74); 5. (tie) Lance Lopez (Texas) 209 (68-72-69) and Farren Keenan (Texas) 209 (69-68-72); 14. (tie) Josh Sandman (Notre Dame) 215 (66-77-72); 17. (tie) Cole Isban (Notre Dame) 216 (69-74-73); 25. (tie) Adam Gifford (Notre Dame) 219 (73-74-72); 36. Eddie Peckels (Notre Dame) 224 (75-74-75); 45. Carl Santos-Ocampo (Notre Dame) 236 (76-82-78).
* – won on first playoff hole