Sept. 13, 2014
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The University of Notre Dame women’s golf team worked itself into an advantageous position on the leaderboard after the opening 36 holes of the Mary Fossum Invitational at the Forest Akers West Golf Course on Saturday. The Fighting Irish fired a morning round of 309 before closing with an afternoon 297 to post a team total of 606 (309-297), seven strokes behind overall leader and tournament host Michigan State (307-292-599).
“We bounced back the second round and played much more consistent golf,” Notre Dame head coach Susan Holt said. “We eliminated the big number holes in the afternoon. The first round start was rough, and we just made too many big numbers to get four solid rounds. We are looking forward to tomorrow and having a chance to go low and see if we can catch Michigan State.”
Junior Talia Campbell carded the best Notre Dame total of day one, posting a combined score of five-over-par 149 (73-76) to tie for fifth place. Campbell shook off an early bogey at the par 5 second hole in round one with a birdie at the par 4 third to move back to even par. The Dallas, Texas native added a birdie at the par 3 ninth hole to cap a one-over-par front nine 37.
Campbell made it three birdies in four holes after rolling in a pair of putts at the par 3 10th and 12th holes to move to one-under-par. A birdie at the par 4 14th offset three bogeys on Campbell’s way in to a one-over-par 73. Campbell added birdies at No. 10 and 12 during the back nine in the afternoon round, putting her atop the tournament leaderboard on par 3 holes at Forest Akers West Golf Course with a combined score of four-under-par through 36 holes.
Senior captain Ashley Armstrong shook off two double bogeys in her first four holes during round one, playing the final 14 holes in four-over-par with two birdies as part of a morning six-over 78. The Flossmoor, Ill. native parred nine straight holes following two early bogeys in round two to hold steady at two-over-par heading to the middle of the back nine.
A birdie at the par 4 15th hole, and a second birdie at the par 5 17th hole allowed Armstrong to make the turn toward the front with a back nine score of 34 (-2). A bogey at the par 5 second hole, her final hole of the round, bookended a one-over 73 to tie Armstrong for ninth place at 151 (78-73, +7).
Sophomore Jordan Ferreira joined Armstrong in a tie for ninth place at 151 (+7), posting matching scores of 78 and 73. Ferreira put the brakes on a rough stretch over her first five holes of round one, kicking in a birdie at the par 5 eighth hole to move back to three-over-par for the round. The University Place, Wash. native played her final 11 holes plus three to open with a 78.
Ferreira rolled in a birdie on her second hole, the par 4 third, during her afternoon round before quickly moving to two-under-par with a three at the fifth hole. The birdies would be Ferreira’s only under par holes on the round before ultimately finishing with a one-over 73.
Freshman Kari Bellville improved from a morning round of 80 in her first collegiate start with an even par back nine during round two, as part of a three-over-par 75. Bellville joined three other players in a tie for 21st place at 155 (80-75, +11).
Senior Kelli Oride rounded out the Notre Dame starting lineup with a share of 40th place at 160 (82-78) after the tournament’s opening 36 holes. Freshman Alison Snakard, competing unattached as an individual, tied for 72nd place (82-85-167).
Michigan State logged the lowest team round of the day with its afternoon four-over-par 292 to open a seven-shot cushion over Notre Dame. Toledo checked in at 609 (308-301) in solo third place, while Michigan (317-297) and Houston (314-300) tied for fourth place at 614.
The third and final round of the Mary Fossum Invitational is scheduled to begin with a shotgun start on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. (ET). Live tournament results will be available through the BirdieFire web site (www.BirdieFire.com).
For more information on the Notre Dame women’s golf program, sign up to follow the Fighting Irish women’s golf Twitter pages (@NDsidMasters or @NDwomensGolf) or register for the Irish ALERT text-messaging system through the “Fan Center” pulldown menu on the front page at UND.com.
Mary Fossum Invitational-Forest Akers West Golf Club-Par-72, 6,334 Yds.
TEAMS (After Round 2): 1. Michigan State 307-292-599, +23; 2. Notre Dame 309-297-606, +30; 3. Toledo 308-301-609, +33; T4. Michigan 317-297-614, +38; T4. Houston 314-300-614, +38; 6. FIU 317-302-619, +43; 7. ETSU 319-305-624, +48; 8. WMU 317-315-632, +56; T9. Grand Valley State 325-308-633, +57; T9. Oakland 318-315-633, +57; 11. Iowa 318-317-635, +59; 12. Eastern Michigan 328-310-638, +62; 13. Ohio 335-316-651, +75; 14. Ferris State 344-339-683, +107; 15. Central Michigan 346-339-685, +109.
TOP-10 INDIVIDUALS (After Round 2): 1. Sarah Burnham (Michigan St.) 75-70-145, +1; 2. Gabrielle Shipley (Grand Valley St.) 72-74-146, +2; 3. Megan MacLaren (FIU) 74-73-147, +3; 4. Yuka Kajiki (Houston) 76-72-148, +4; T5. Sathika Ruenreong (Toledo) 75-74-149, +5; T5. Talia Campbell (Notre Dame) 73-76-149, +5; T7. Megan Thothong (Houston) 76-74-150, +6; T7. Jennifer Elsholz (Toledo) 75-75-150, +6; T9. Jordan Ferreira (Notre Dame) 78-73-151, +7; T9. Ashley Armstrong (Notre Dame) 78-73-157, +7; T9. Kelly Hartigan (Grand Valley St.) 77-74-151, +7.
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (After Round 2): T5. Talia Campbell 73-76-149, +5; T9. Jordan Ferreira 78-73-151, +7; T9. Ashley Armstrong 78-73-151, +7; T21. Kari Bellville 80-75-155, +11; T40. Kelli Oride 82-78-160, +16; T72. Alison Snakard * 82-85-167, +23.
*-Played as an individual