March 12, 2004
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Notre Dame men’s golf team is right in the thick of things at the Conrad Rehling Invitational, sitting in a group of four teams tied for seventh place after Friday’s opening round. The Irish fired a 16-over par 304, putting them squarely in the middle of the 13-team field at the tournament, which is being hosted by the University of Alabama at the par 72, 7,041-yard Ol’ Colony Golf Complex in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Sophomore Scott Gustafson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) set the pace for Notre Dame on day one, carding a one-over par 73 to move into a tie for 14th place, five strokes off the lead. Freshman Cole Isban (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian HS) and sophomore Tommy Balderston (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews HS) both contributed opening-round scores of four-over 76 and are tied for 30th place. Sophomores Mark Baldwin (Laconia, N.H./New Hampton Prep) and Eric Deutsch (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes HS) shot matching 79s (+7) on the first day, placing them in a 46th-place tie among the 73 golfers in the field. Freshman Shane Sigsbee (McKinney, Texas/McKinney HS) also is entered in the tournament as an individual, but his opening round score was disqualified after he failed to sign his scorecard.
Jacksonville (Ala.) State leads the team competition after registering a two-under par 286 in the first round. Alabama’s Lars Brovold is the individual leader after Friday’s action, logging a four-under par 68.
The second round of the Conrad Rehling Invitational will take place Saturday with the first tee times set for 8 a.m. (CST). Results will be posted on the official Notre Dame athletics web site (www.und.com) upon completion of the day’s activities.
– ND –
TEAM RESULTS (18-hole totals): 1. Jacksonville State 286; 2. Mississippi 292; 3. Alabama 293; 4. Toledo 297; 5. Kentucky 299; 6. Kent State 302; 7. (tie) NOTRE DAME, UAB, Michigan State and Mississippi State 304; 11. Georgia State 305; 12. North Florida 307; 13. Tulane 312.
TOP 9 INDIVIDUALS (of 73): 1. Lars Brovold (Alabama) 68; 2. (tie) John Holmes (Kentucky) and Clint Provost (Alabama) 69; 4. (tie) Pope Spruiell (Mississippi) and Jonathan Fricke (Georgia State) 70; 6. (tie) Nick Mackay (Jacksonville State), Richard Kilpatrick (Toledo), Matias Anselmo (Jacksonville State) and Patrico Cozzoli (Jacksonville State) 71.
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 73): 14. (tie) Scott Gustafson 73 (36-37); 30. (tie) Cole Isban 76 (37-39) and Tommy Balderston 76 (38-38); 46. (tie) Mark Baldwin 79 (40-39) and Eric Deutsch 79 (41-38); DQ. Shane Sigsbee.