Feb. 14, 2010
NEWPORT COAST, Calif. – The Fighting Irish men’s golf team opened up the spring portion of its 2009-10 schedule at the Battle at the Beach by shooting an eleven-over par 366 to stand in tenth place after one round of play. Junior Jeff Chen (Walnut, Calif./Los Altos) led the Irish by shooting an even-par 71 to tie for 23rd at the Pelican Hill Golf Club.
Chen’s round one scorecard included three birdies, 12 pars and three bogeys. His 71 ties for the lowest round of his Irish career, which he shot twice during his freshman season.
Senior Doug Fortner (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) and sophomore Tom Usher (Bradford, England/Guiseley School) turned in two-over par 73’s. Fortner notched two birdies, 13 pars, two bogeys and a double. Usher recorded five birdies, eight pars, three bogeys and two doubles. Usher’s 73 marks the second lowest round of his Irish career.
The Battle at the Beach utilizes a unique scoring system in which the top five of each team’s six scores are counted towards team scoring, thus sophomore Max Scodro (Chicago, IIl./Notre Dame Prep (Ariz.)) and senior Josh Sandman (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) also saw their rounds counted for the Irish. Scodro carded a three-over par 74 that included an eagle on the par-5 eighth and he added two birdies, 11 pars, two bogeys and two doubles. Sandman shot a four-over par 75. He netted three birdies, 11 pars, two bogeys, a double and a triple.
Chris Walker (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands) rounded out the Irish contingent with a seven-over par 78 that included two birdies, eight pars, seven bogeys and a double.
Oregon State leads after one round of play with a seven-under par 348. Arkansas is in second by virtue of shooting a six-under par 349. Oregon State’s Mike Barry and Diego Velasquez are tied for first (-5/66).
The Battle at the Beach continues with the second round of play tomorrow, Feb. 15 and will conclude with the third round of play on Feb. 16. Check back with UND.com for recaps of Notre Dame’s second and third round performances. Live scoring of the tournament is available through www.golfstat.com via the website’s Live Scoring link.
Team Scoring1. Oregon State (-7/348)2. Arkansas (-6/349)3. San Diego State (-3/352)4. Washington (-2/353)5. UCLA (-1/354)6. Long Beach State (+3/358)7. Arizona State (+4/359)8. Colorado State Univ. (+6/361)9. Texas-Arlington (+9/364)10. Notre Dame (+11/366)11. Colorado (+14/369)12. Tennessee (+16/371)13. San Francisco (+19/374)14. UC Davis (+20/375)
Notre Dame Scoringt23. Jeff Chen (71)t38. Doug Fortner (73)t38. Tom Usher (73)t53. Max Scodro (74)t57. Josh Sandman (75)t73. Chris Walker (78)
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