Feb. 23, 2015
PEORIA, Ariz. — One of the guiding principles for the University of Notre Dame women’s golf program has been an unwavering focus on the team. Each player does her part — not too much and not too little — to ensure the success of the group, and if one player falters, another steps in to pick her up and carry on.
That collective steely resolve was never more evident than Monday afternoon, as the 32nd-ranked Fighting Irish closed out a strong start to their spring 2015 season with a tie for third place at the Westbrook Spring Invitational on the Vistas Course (par 72/6,269 yards) at the Westbrook Village Golf Club in Peoria, Arizona.
All five Notre Dame players factored into the team score in at least one of the three rounds this week, as the Fighting Irish earned their third top-three finish in five tournaments this season while carding a four-over par 868 (291-289-288), the fourth-lowest 54-hole gross score (and third-lowest mark with relation to par) in program history. It’s the third time this season Notre Dame has posted one of the five lowest gross tournament scores in school history.
The Fighting Irish shared third place with the College of Charleston, 17 strokes behind tournament champion (and 14th-ranked) Tennessee, while No. 35 Oregon finished second at 10-under par 854. Notre Dame ended up two strokes ahead of No. 40 Ohio State (870) and 16 strokes clear of 42nd-ranked (and tournament host) Wisconsin (884).
“This was a great team effort,” Fighting Irish head coach Susan Holt said. “To have all five players contribute is nice to see this early in the spring season. We still have plenty to work on, but I’m happy with the finish.”
Senior captain Ashley Armstrong (Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) finished tied for 10th place in the 84-player field and matched her career high in the process, firing a one-under par 215 (71-72-72) to earn her third top-10 finish of the season. Armstrong, who owns a 71.67 stroke average in her last six rounds, ended up five strokes behind Monday’s tournament medalist A.J. Newell of Tennessee.
Sophomore Jordan Ferreira (University Place, Wash./Bellarmine Prep) turned in a strong final round and charged to a 12th-place tie, while matching her career-low 54-hole score at even-par 216 (74-72-70). Ferreira also picked up her third top-20 finish of the season and continues her recent solid play that has seen her post a 72.33 stroke average in her last six rounds.
Junior Talia Campbell (Dallas, Texas/Ursuline Academy) was the third Fighting Irish player to place in the top 20 this week, tying for 16th place at one-over par 217 (73-73-71). It was the third top-20 finish of the season for Campbell, who was Monday’s hero with a clutch birdie putt on her final hole (Westbrook’s No. 5) to lift Notre Dame in its third-place tie in the team standings.
Senior Kelli Oride (Lihue, Hawaii/Kauai) came into the final round seeking a top-20 finish, but a double bogey on her opening hole had the veteran battling from behind much of the day. Oride wound up with a share of 33rd place this week at five-over par 221 (73-72-76).
Freshman Kari Bellville (Granger, Ind./Penn) continues to show glimpses of promise during her rookie season and ended up in a 48th-place tie at eight-over par 224 (75-74-75). It was the second-lowest 54-hole score of Bellville’s career to date and the third time in five events she has placed in the top 50.
The Fighting Irish return to the Valley of the Sun in two weeks during the University’s spring break period for a series of practices prior to playing host to the fourth annual Clover Cup March 13-15 at the Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona.
“We’re already looking forward to heading back out here in two weeks to get in a solid week of practice in Phoenix during spring break,” Holt said.
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.
Westbrook Spring Invitational
Feb. 22-23, 2015 — Final Results
Westbrook Village Golf Club – Vistas Course (par 72/6,269 yards)
Peoria, Ariz.
FINAL TEAM SCORES (54-hole totals): 1. Tennessee 851 (279-289-283); 2. Oregon 854 (286-287-281); 3. (tie) NOTRE DAME 868 (291-289-288) and College of Charleston 868 (286-297-285); 5. Ohio State 870 (289-293-288); 6. (tie) Oklahoma 874 (292-288-294) and Oregon State 874 (290-290-294); 8. Illinois 875 (291-288-296); 9. Iowa 882 (298-292-292); 10. Wisconsin 884 (299-296-289); 11. Indiana 888 (296-300-292); 12. Kansas State 890 (293-303-294); 13. (tie) Washington State 892 (307-296-289), Nebraska 892 (294-302-296) and Tulsa 892 (300-296-296).
TOP 11 INDIVIDUALS PLUS NOTRE DAME GOLFERS (of 84): 1. A.J. Newell (UT) 210 (68-73-69); 2. Cathleen Santoso (UO) 211 (71-69-71); 3. (tie) Laura Fuenfstueck (CofC) 213 (70-72-71), Anna Newell (UT) 213 (69-72-72), Chayanid Prapassarangkul (ILL) 213 (73-70-70) and Kelsey Ulep (UO) 213 (72-72-69); 7. (tie) Caroline Inglis (UO) 214 (71-73-70), Lucia Polo (UT) 214 (71-70-73) and Hannah Wood (OU) 214 (72-68-74); 10. (tie) Ashley Armstrong (ND) 215 (71-72-72) and Alivia Brown (WSU) 215 (74-69-72); 12. (tie) Jordan Ferreira (ND) 216 (74-72-70); 16. (tie) Talia Campbell (ND) 217 (73-73-71); 33. (tie) Kelli Oride (ND) 221 (73-72-76); 48. (tie) Kari Bellville (ND) 224 (75-74-75).
— Chris Masters, Associate Athletic Media Relations Director