Oct. 13, 2003
McKINNEY, Texas – The Notre Dame men’s golf team put together its best two rounds of the 2003-04 season Monday at the SMU/Stonebridge Invitational, carding an even-par 576 (286-290) to open up a six-shot lead with one round remaining. Wichita State and SMU are tied for second place behind the Irish with Vanderbilt (583) and Lamar (587) rounding out the top five in the 17-team field. Should Notre Dame hold on to its current lead at this year’s event, the Irish would pick up their first tournament championship since Oct. 19, 1999, when they won the Louisville Intercollegiate by two strokes. This year’s tournament is being played on the par-72, 7,202-yard Dye Course at the Stonebridge Country Club in McKinney, Texas.
Notre Dame’s opening-round score of two-under par 286 was the lowest 18-hole score by the Irish since March 9, 2003, when they posted a 284 in the second round of the Big Red Classic. It also was the first round in red numbers for the Irish since April 5, 2003, when they registered a similar two-under 286 in the final round of the Texas A&M Border Olympics in Laredo, Texas. The Dye Course at Stonebridge has been especially favorable to Notre Dame the last two years – the Irish finished fifth at last year’s SMU tourney after carding a nine-over par 879 that included two rounds of one-over par 289.
Sophomore Scott Gustafson (Rochester, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) stands in second place on the individual ladder at the SMU/Stonebridge Invitational, firing a five-under par 139 (70-69) to sit four shots back of current leader Colt Knost of SMU. Gustafson’s second-round 69 matched the lowest round of his career, which he achieved twice last year. Meanwhile, sophomore Tommy Balderston (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews HS) also has had a stellar tournament, placing in a tie for third with a four-under par 140 (68-72). Balderston’s opening-round 68 was the lowest 18-hole score of his career, topping the 69 he shot in the first round of last year’s SMU/Stonebridge Invitational.
Freshman Cole Isban (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian HS) also is in the hunt for Notre Dame, standing tied for 13th place through two rounds with a one-over par 145 (73-72). Isban’s second-round 72 was the lowest of his brief collegiate career, topping the previous mark of 73 he established three times (including Monday’s opening round). Fellow freshman Shane Sigsbee (McKinney, Texas/McKinney HS) struggled somewhat in his homecoming, winding up tied for 60th place with an 11-over par 155 (78-77). Sophomore Eric Deutsch (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes HS) completes the Irish quintet, sitting in a tie for 64th at 12-over par 156 (75-81).
The SMU/Stonebridge Invitational will conclude at 8 a.m. (CDT) Tuesday with a shotgun start. Final results will be posted on the official Notre Dame athletics web site (www.und.com) upon conclusion of the event.
– ND –
TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals): 1. NOTRE DAME 576 (286-290); 2. (tie) Wichita State 582 (286-296) and SMU 582 (294-288); 4. Vanderbilt 583 (290-293); 5. Lamar 587 (287-300); 6. North Texas 590 (298-292); 7. McNeese State 591 (290-301); 8. (tie) Southeastern Louisiana 596 (291-305) and Ohio State 596 (292-304); 10. Oklahoma City 597 (296-301); 11. Baylor 600 (300-300); 12. Tulane 605 (303-302); 13. Iowa State 606 (298-308); 14. Arkansas-Little Rock 607 (297-310); 15. Texas-Arlington 609 (303-306); 16. Louisiana-Lafayette 611 (299-312); 17. College of Charleston 620 (312-308).
TOP 12 INDIVIDUALS (of 90): 1. Colt Knost (SMU) 135 (66-69); 2. Scott Gustafson (Notre Dame) 139 (70-69); 3. (tie) Tommy Balderston (Notre Dame) 140 (68-72), Chris Stroud (Lamar) 140 (68-72) and Judd Easterling (Wichita State) 140 (66-74); 6. (tie) Ryan Baca (Baylor) 142 (70-72) and Mark Donnell (Vanderbilt) 142 (69-73); 8. (tie) Adrien Mork (McNeese State) 143 (72-71) and John May (Wichita State) 143 (72-71); 10. (tie) Luke List (Vanderbilt) 144 (72-72), Zach Atkinson (North Texas) 144 (70-74) and Steven Tiley (Southeastern Louisiana) 144 (72-72).
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 90): 2. Scott Gustafson 139 (70-69); 3. (tie) Tommy Balderston 140 (68-72); 13. (tie) Cole Isban 145 (73-72); 60. (tie) Shane Sigsbee 155 (78-77); 64. (tie) Eric Deutsch 156 (75-81).