Oct. 12, 2010
Final Team Standings with Individuals 
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Notre Dame men’s golf team concluded play in second place after shooting a final round 286 (-2) on Tuesday at the Firestone Invitational on Firestone’s North Course to finish at 14-under par (850) overall. Junior Max Scodro (Chicago, Ill.) led the way for the Irish with a three-round total of 209 (-7), good for third place overall.
“I’m really proud of our guys,” Irish head coach Jim Kubinski says. “While it’s been tough to finish second in each of the first three tournaments, we have never lost sight of our long-term goals and that is making the NCAA tournament. We have plenty of positives to pull from this tournament and we will just continue to improve as the season goes on.”
Notre Dame entered the day at 12-under par (564) and, with the help of three golfers shooting par or better on the final day, dropped two more shots to finish at 14-under par. However, Indiana used a final day 285 (-3) to hold on for the one shot victory.
The Irish effort places as both the second lowest 54-hole tournament team score in strokes (850) and to-par (-14) in program history, bested only by the 2005-06 BIG EAST tournament when the team finished at 842 (-22).
Scodro continued his mastery of the par-5’s on Tuesday, carding two more birdies on his way to five total birdies in his closing 18 holes. He used a final round 70 (-2) to finish third overall with a 54-hole total of 209 (-7). Scodro’s tournament enters him into the Irish record book as well sitting in a tie for the lowest 54-hole tournament both to-par (-7) – Cole Isban at 2006-07 Border Olypics – and in total strokes (209) – tied with Doug Fortner, Jeff Connell and Isban.
Junior Tom Usher (Bradford, England) posted his best round of the tournament on Tuesday, carding a final round 69 (-3) to climb into fourth place. He played the front nine in 33 (-3) aided by four birdies, before coming in with a 36 (E) and two more birdies to close out the round. Overall, Usher finished at 212 (-4).
Junior Chris Walker (The Woodlands, Texas) finished as the third Irish player at par or better on the final day, recording a 72 (E). He sat at two-over par entering the final hole before posting an eagle-3 on the 18th hole. His two-day score concluded at 217 (+1), good for a share of 14th.
Freshman Niall Platt (Santa Barbara, Calif.) shared 14th at one-over par (217) with Walker after finishing his tournament with a third round 80 (+8).
Senior Connor Alan-Lee (Solana Beach, Calif.) jumped into the four-ball count on Tuesday, posting a final round 75 (+3) helped by a pair of birdies on the front nine to round out Notre Dame’s rotation. He concluded the tournament at 15-over par (231), earning a share of 62nd.
Individually, freshman Andrew Lane (Fairport, N.Y.) concluded with his best round of the tournament, posting a final day 73 (+1) and carding three birdies. He finished in a tie for 57th place with a 230 (+14).
The Irish return to action on Sunday and Monday at the Lone Star Invitational in San Antonio, Texas at The Golf Club of Texas at Briggs Ranch.
Firestone Invitational – Firestone North Course, Par 72 – 7,060 yards
Top-Five Team Scores (54-hole totals): 1. Indiana (-15/849); 2. NOTRE DAME (-14/850); 3. New Mexico State (+3/867); 4. Eastern Michigan (+4/868); 5. St. Mary’s (Calif.) (+9/873)
Top-Five Golfers (54-hole totals): t1. David Erdy (Indiana/207); t1. John Popeck (Maryland/207); 3. Max Scodro (NOTRE DAME/209); 4. Tom Usher (NOTRE DAME/212); 5. Joon Heui Lee (New Mexico State/213)
Notre Dame Scores (54-hole totals): 3. Max Scodro (72-67-70-209); 4. Tom Usher (71-72-69-212); t14. Niall Platt (65-72-80-217); t14. Chris Walker (76-69-72-217); t57. Andrew Lane (individual) (78-79-73-230); t62. Connor Alan-Lee (80-76-75-231)
–ND–