Sept. 27, 2003
Notre Dame, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team will head into Sunday’s final round of the 2003 Notre Dame Invitational three strokes behind Northern Iowa University. The Irish led by five strokes after 18 holes with an 18-over par 306, but shot 320 in the second round to finish with a 36-hole total of 626 on Saturday. Northern Iowa fired an opening round score of 311 and followed with a 312 to finish the day with a 47-over par 623. The tournament is being hosted by the Irish at the par 72 6,003-yard Warren Golf Course.
The Irish have three of the top eight players from Saturday’s action, including sophomore Sarah Bassett (Spokane, Wash.) who is in second place in the field of 93 after shooting rounds of 75 and 78 for a nine-over par 153 total. Bassett is two strokes behind tournament-leader Erin Westensee of Northern Iowa who shot 151 (74-77) on day one.
Notre Dame has two golfers tied in fifth place with a score of 156, five strokes off the lead. Freshman Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, Ill.) posted a three-over par 75 in the first round, but finished round two with an 81. Senior co-captain Shannon Byrne (Arlington Heights, Ill.), playing as an individual entrant, shot scores of 79 and 77 on the first day.
Following Nakazaki and Byrne is sophomore Katie Brophy (Spokane, Wash.) who is tied for 13th place with a 15-over par 159 (80-79). Freshman Stacy Brown (The Woodlands, Texas) is next for the Irish after carding scores of 79 and 82 for a 161, putting her in a tie for 26th. Suzie Hayes (Dublin, Ireland) is tied in 43rd place with a 165 after shooting a 77 followed by an 88. Junior Karen Lotta (Los Angeles, Calif.) rounds out out the Notre Dame lineup as she shot rounds of 84 and 85 for a 169.
Along with Byrne, Notre Dame has three others playing as individual entrants. Sophomore Lauren Gebauer (Columbus, Ohio) fired a first-round score of 75 and then an 88 in the second round to finish with a 163, placing her in a 35th-place tie. Junior Casey Rotella (Keswick, Va.) is tied with Hayes, shooting scores of 84 and 81 (165). Senior co-captain Rebecca Rogers (Alpharetta, Ga.) joins Lotta in 56th after recording scores of 87 and 82 (169).
The final round of the Notre Dame Invitational will begin on Sunday, Sept. 28, with a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. (EST). The tournament is open to the public and admission is free.
TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals): 1. Northern Iowa 623 (311-312); 2. Notre Dame 626 (306-320); 3. Bradley 628 (311-317); 4. Western Michigan 633 (314-319); 5. Ball State 638 (311-327); 6. Xavier 639 (318-321); 7. Ohio University 645 (322-323); 8.(tie) Eastern Michigan 649 (325-324), Boston College 649 (321-328); 10. Texas-Pan American 666 (338-328); 11. Butler 675 (330-345); 12. Arkansas State 680 (336-344); 13. Cincinnati 682 (345-337); 14. Rutgers 689 (348-341); 15. Wichita State 693 (340-353).
TOP NINE INDIVIDUALS (of 93): 1. Erin Westensee (N. Iowa) 151 (74-77); 2. Sarah Bassett (Notre Dame) 153 (75-78); 3.(tie) Alison Walshe (Boston College) 154 (76-78), Stephanie Donkin (Western Michigan) 154 (75-79); 5.(tie) Noriko Nakazaki (Notre Dame) 156 (75-81), Agnes Kim (Bradley) 156 (79-77), Caitlan Roschek (Western Michigan) 156 (79-77), Shannon Byrne* (Notre Dame) 156 (79-77); 9. Jenna Cannon (Bradley) 157 (78-79).
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 93): 2. Sarah Bassett 153 (75-78); 5.(tie) Noriko Nakazaki 156 (75-81), Shannon Byrne* 156 (79-77); 13.(tie) Katie Brophy 159 (80-79); 26.(tie) Stacy Brown 161 (79-82); 35.(tie) Lauren Gebauer* 163 (75-88); 43.(tie) Suzie Hayes 165 (77-88), Casey Rotella* 165 (84-81); 56.(tie) Karen Lotta 169 (84-85), Rebecca Rogers* 169 (87-82).
*Individual
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