Sept. 8, 2014
INDEPENDENCE, Minn. – The University of Notre Dame men’s golf team capped its first regular season road trip of 2014-15 on Monday at the University of Minnesota Gopher Invitational, tying for 10th place in the 54-hole tournament at the Windsong Farm Golf Club. The Irish carded rounds of 302-305-304 to share 10th place with Nebraska with a final score of 911 (303-305-303).
Sophomore Matt Rushton earned his second top 15 finish at the Gopher Invitational in as many starts, posting a final round even par 71 to claim solo 11th place (73-75-71-219, +6). Rushton birdied four holes during Monday’s third round, including the par 4 11th and 14th holes and the par 5 18th hole, as part of a back nine three-under-par 33. The Cape Town, South Africa native previously tied for sixth place in his first collegiate start at last season’s Gopher Invitational.
Freshman Thomas Steve closed his inaugural collegiate road tournament in a tie for 24th place at 225 (76-71-78). Steve’s second round even par 71 tied Rushton’s third round output for the lowest Notre Dame 18-hole score of the event. The Upper St. Clair, Pa. native finished tied for second in the field with 12 total birdies during the tournament.
Senior Patrick Grahek posted the third Irish top 30 placement at the Windsong Farm Golf Club, carding rounds of 72-81-74 to share 30th place at 227. Grahek posted two of his five tournament birdies during his final 18 holes on Monday, recording a three on the par 4 first and eighth holes in the third round.
Sophomore Blake Barens copped a share of 67th place at 241 (81-79-81), while junior Cory Sciupider checked in at 244 (81-80-83) for solo 70th place.
Baylor closed with a final round six-over-par 290 to take the tournament’s team championship (289-283-290-862) by 16 strokes over California (293-289-296-878). Charlotte posted a third place finish at 882 (296-294-292), with the `A’ team from host Minnesota checking in fourth (294-295-294-883). New Mexico completed the top five teams with the lowest Monday team round, a five-over 289, to post a final score of 886 (292-305-289).
Charlotte’s Victor Wiggins secured individual medalist honors after turning in a final round even par 71 to win by four strokes at 208 (68-69-71, -5). New Mexico’s Gavin Green carded the low round of the day, spinning a three-under 68 to finish as the tournament runner-up (71-73-68-212, -1), while Baylor’s Kyle Jones (71-69-73) and California’s Keelan Kilpatrick (67-75-71) tied for third place at even par 213. Minnesota’s Jose Mendez (72-72-71) and Baylor’s Mikk Bjerch-Andresen (74-68-73) shared fifth place with matching scores of two-over par 215.
Notre Dame resumes its fall tournament slate at The Windon Memorial, hosted by Northwestern University, on Sept. 21-22 at the Evanston Golf Club in Chicago, Ill.
Gopher Invitational-Windsong Farm Golf Club-Par-71, 7,152 Yds.
TEAMS (Final): 1. Baylor 289-283-290-862, +10; 2. California 293-289-296-878, +26; 3. Charlotte 296-294-292-882, +30; 4. Minnesota 294-295-294-883, +31; 5. New Mexico 292-305-289-886, +34; 6. UAB 309-290-294-893, +41; 7. Kent State 291-302-302-895, +43; 8. Michigan State 300-302-298-900, +48; 9. VCU 302-295-305-902, +50; T10. Nebraska 303-305-303-911, +59; T10. Notre Dame 302-305-304-911, +59; 12. Central Arkansas 312-305-299-915, +64; 13. San Francisco 321-298-309-928, +76; 14. Minnesota (B) 314-310-305-929, +77; 15. St. Johns (Minn.) 317-326-316-959, +107.
TOP-10 INDIVIDUALS (Final): 1. Victor Wiggins (Charlotte) 68-69-71-208, -5; 2. Gavin Green (New Mexico) 71-73-68-212, -1; T3. Kyle Jones (Baylor) 71-69-73-213, E; T3. Keelan Kilpatrick (California) 67-75-71-213, E; T5. Jose Mendez (Minnesota) 72-72-71-215, +2; T5. Mikk Bjerch-Andresen (Baylor) 74-68-73-215, +2; T7. Filippo Zucchetti (Baylor) 73-73-70-216, +3; T7. Steffen Harm (VCU) 71-69-76-216, +3; T9. Tyler Lowenstein (Minnesota) 73-74-71-218, +5; T9. Raoul Menard (Charlotte) 72-73-73-218, +5.
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (Final): 11. Matt Rushton 73-75-71-219, +6; T24. Thomas Steve 76-71-78-225, +12; T30. Patrick Grahek 72-81-74-227, +14; T67. Blake Barens 81-79-81-241, +28; 70. Cory Sciupider 81-80-83-244, +31.