May 2, 2004
East Lansing, Mich. – The Notre Dame men’s golf team, playing its final regular-season tournament of the year finished in 14th place at Michigan State’s Bruce Fossum/TaylorMade Invitational on Sunday, after shooting a 54-hole total of 945. The tournament was played at the par 72, 7,013-year Forest Akers West Golf Course in East Lansing, Mich.
The Irish finished 65 shots off the pace set by tournament-winner Indiana. On the weekend, Notre Dame posted rounds of 319, 321 and 305 for its 945 mark. Indiana shot a 16-over par 880 for the weekend with rounds of 288, 295 and 297.
Individually, the Irish were led by freshman Adam Gifford (Plymouth, Ind.) who was 14-over par for the tournament with a 230 after rounds of 78, 76 and 76. That put him 20 strokes off the pace of tournament medalist Jeff Overton who carded a sizzling six-under par 210 (73-70-67) for the 54 holes. Overton won the tournament by four strokes over runner-up Bronson LaCassie of Minnesota who shot a two-under par 214 (71-74-69). Toledo’s Brad Heaven, who was third, also checked in with an under-par total (one-under 215) for the tournament.
Rounding out the Notre Dame contingent was fellow freshman Shane Sigsbee (McKinney, Texas) who tied for 61st in the tournament with a 235 total. After rounds of 80 and 83 on Saturday, Sigsbee fired an even-par 72 for his final 18 holes on Sunday. Senior Gavin Ferlic (South Bend, Ind.) was third among Irish golfers and tied for 67th with a 240 mark (78-79-83). Ferlic was followed by Steve Colnitis (Jr., Baldwin, Md.) in 69th with a 241 (83-83-75) and K.C. Wiseman (Jr., South Bend, Ind.) who was 74th with a 250 total (84-84-82).
Notre Dame will now break for finals and begin preparations for the NCAA Central Regional tournament that will be held May 20-22 at the Kampen Course at Purdue’s Brick Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind. The Irish qualified for the Central Regional last weekend when they captured the automatic BIG EAST bid, winning the BIG EAST Championship at the Warren Golf Course.
FINAL TEAM RESULTS (54-hole totals): 1. Indiana 880 (288-295-297); 2. Illinois 884 (293-295-296); 3. Minnesota 887 (289-300-298); 4. Toledo 890 (291-295-304); 5. Michigan State 893 (293-301-299); 6. Iowa 896 (302-301-293); 7. Ohio State 901 (309-293-299); 8. Eastern Kentucky 904 (300-303-301); 9. Wisconsin 906 (307-301-298); 10. Northwestern 911 (307-300-304); 11. Michigan 913 (305-304-304); 12. Louisville 922 (306-310-306); 13. Eastern Michigan 927 (311-310-306); 14. Notre Dame 945 (319-321-305).
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 74): 1. Jeff Overton (Indiana) 210 (73-70-67); 2. Bronson LaCassie (Minnesota) 214 (71-74-69); 3. Brad Heaven (Toledo) 215 (70-75-70); 4. (tie) Brandon Brown (E. Kentucky) 217 (73-75-69), Cade Pleegenkuhle (Iowa) 217 (71-77-69); 6. Patrick Nagle (Illinois) 218 (76-69-73); 7. Joe Affrunti (Illinois) 219 (72-75-72); 8. Heath Peters (Indiana) 220 (72-73-75); 9. (tie) Tyler Riley (Toledo) 221 (70-71-80), Andrew Ruthkoski (Michigan State) 221 (71-75-75), Ben Greve (Minnesota) 221 (68-78-75).
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 74): 41. (tie) Adam Gifford 230 (78-76-76); 61. (tie) Shane Sigsbee 235 (80-83-72); 67. (tie) Gavin Ferlic 240 (78-79-83); 69. (tie) Steve Colnitis 241 (83-83-75); 73. K.C. Wiseman 250 (84-84-82).