Feb. 28, 2006
NAPLES, Fla. – For the fifth time in as many tournaments this season, the Notre Dame men’s golf team finished in the top six, taking home fifth-place honors at the second annual Lexus Naples Intercollegiate Invitational, hosted by Peter Jacobsen Productions, which concluded Tuesday at the par-72, 6,912-yard Hammock Bay Golf & Country Club in Naples, Fla. The Irish shot an eight-over par 872 (293-289-290) for the two-day event, their first of the spring 2006 season, and tied their second-lowest 54-hole score of the year (only an 865 at the Coca-Cola Duke Classic was lower).
Senior tri-captain Mark Baldwin (Laconia, N.H./New Hampton Prep) posted his best finish of the season, tying for fourth in the 60-man field and matching both his career-low score and the second-lowest three-round total in school history with a six-under par 210 (72-69-69). Baldwin now has played 10 of his 15 competitive rounds this year at par or better, including six below par and three in the 60s, lowering his season stroke average to almost even par (72.07). In addition, Baldwin picked up his fifth career top-five finish and first of the 2005-06 campaign.
Junior tri-captain Cole Isban (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) wound up tied for 10th place at three-under par 213 (73-69-71). It was Isban’s second top-10 finish of the season (and 10th of his career), and he now was recorded eight of 15 rounds at par or better, with seven below par and four in the 60s. He also was able to reduce his season stroke average, which now stands at 72.33.
Coming in tied for 29th place, sophomore Mike King (Sidney, Ohio/Sidney) logged his best finish of the season with an eight-over par 224 (74-75-75) and the second-best showing of his career when competing as a member of the travel squad (he was ninth at last year’s BIG EAST Championship). Senior tri-captain Scott Gustafson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie), ended the tournament in a tie for 36th place at 10-over par 226 (74-77-75). Sophomore Greg Rodgers (Phoenix, Md./St. Paul’s School) completed the Irish lineup in a 45th-place tie at 15-over par 231 (78-76-77).
Notre Dame will be back in action March 12-13 when it heads to Murrells Inlet, S.C., for the General Jim Hackler Invitational. The Irish were runners-up last year at the event, which will once again be hosted by defending champion Coastal Carolina at the TPC of Myrtle Beach.
— ND —
FINAL TEAM RESULTS (54-hole totals): 1. Baylor 845 (288-278-279); 2. Florida State 849 (286-285-278); 3. Wake Forest 850 (289-277-284); 4. Illinois State 870 (294-284-292); 5. NOTRE DAME 872 (293-289-290); 6. Florida Gulf Coast 874 (303-290-281); 7. Wisconsin 877 (306-284-287); 8. Saint Mary’s (Calif.) 884 (311-284-289); 9. Rhode Island 893 (305-294-294); 10. Ohio State 900 (299-306-295); 11. Navy 939 (317-315-307); 12. Portland 948 (324-289-303).
TOP FIVE INDIVIDUALS PLUS NOTRE DAME GOLFERS (of 60): 1. Ryan Baca (Baylor) 205 (68-70-67); 2. Kyle Reifers (Wake Forest) 207 (66-72-69); 3. Jesse Larson (Rhode Island) 209 (71-68-70); 4. (tie) Mark Baldwin (Notre Dame) 210 (72-69-69) and Sean Moore (Wake Forest) 210 (73-67-70); 10. (tie) Cole Isban (Notre Dame) 213 (73-69-71); 29. (tie) Mike King (Notre Dame) 224 (74-75-75); 36. (tie) Scott Gustafson (Notre Dame) 226 (74-77-75); 45. (tie) Greg Rodgers (Notre Dame) 231 (78-76-77).