April 14, 2001
Columbus, Ohio – The Notre Dame men’s golf team finished the opening day of play at the Kepler Intercollegiate Golf Tournament in 10th place with a 36-hole total of 605. That puts the Irish 16 strokes behind Michigan as the Wolverines opened the tournament with a 589 total (292-297) on the par 71, 7,221-yard Ohio State Scarlet Course.
The Irish got off to a fast start by shooting an opening round 296, their best round of the spring, totrail Michigan by just four strokes after 18 holes of play. Notre Dame ballooned to a 309 total for the second 18 to finish the day with a 605. Trailing Michigan by just one stroke in second place is Northwestern with a 590 (295-295). Kent State was third with a 592 (303-298) while Ohio State (298-298) and Miami of Ohio (300-296) tied for fourth with 596 totals to round out the top five teams in the field of 17.
Leading Notre Dame individually was sophomore Kyle Monfort (Dublin, Ohio) who is tied for 21st with an eight-over par total of 150. Monfort opened with a 74 and closed with a 76 over the opening day’s 36 holes of play. He is 10 strokes behind tournament leader, Luke Donald of Northwestern, who leads the tournament by four strokes with a two-under par total of 140 (71-69). Second place belongs to Ohio State’s Jeff Olson who is two-over par with a 144 total (74-70).
Following Monfort for the Irish is junior Steve Ratay (Arlington Heights, Ill.) who is tied for 32nd with a 10-over par 152. Ratay got off to a fast start by opening with his best round of the spring, shooting a one-under par 70 for the first 18 holes, to tie for second just two strokes off the first round lead held by Michigan State’s Dennis Riedel who opened with a 68. Ratay struggled in the second round shooting an 82 for his 152.
Rounding out the Irish scoring was Pat Schaffler (Sr., Dallas, Tex.) who is tied for 39th overall with an 11-over par 153 (77-76). Senior Alex Kent (Lambare, Paraguay) finished the tournament’s first day tied for 46th with rounds of 75 and 79 for 154 and freshman Peter Rivas (New Orleans, La.) rounded out the Irish scoring with a tie for 68th as he shot a 16-over par 158. Rivas fired an 80 in the first round and closed the day with a 78 on OSU’s Scarlet Course.
The final round of play of the Kepler Intercollegiate Tournament will be played on Sunday morning beginning at 8:00 a.m.
TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals):
1. Michigan 292-297-589, 2. Northwestern 295-295-590, 3. Kent State 303-289-592, 4. Ohio State 298-298-596, Miami (OH) 300-296-596, 6. Purdue 298-301-599, Wisconsin 302-297-599, 8. Michigan State 300-300-600, 9. Marshall 305-297-602, 10. Notre Dame 296-309-605, 11. Bowling Green 311-305-616, Illinois 313-303-616, 13. Toledo 313-306-619, Iowa 316-303-619, 15. Akron 304-316-620, 16. Ball State 309-319-628, 17. Indiana 316-315-631.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 90):
1. Luke Donald (Northwestern) 71-69-140, 2. Jeff Olson (Ohio State) 74-70-144), 3. Jon Mills (Kent State) 77-68-145, Lee Curry (Miami-OH) 75-70-145, Mike Austin (Ohio State) 71-74-145, Tom Johnson (Northwestern) 73-72-145, Dennis Riedel (Michigan State) 68-77-145, Andrew Matthews (Michigan) 74-71-145, 9. Lee Williamson (Purdue) 73-73-146, Brian Perry (Marshall) 73-73-146, Mike Sabo (Miami-OH) 72-74-146, Kevin Hall (Ohio State) 76-70-146.
NOTRE DAME SCORES:
t21. Kyle Monfort 74-76-150, t32. Steve Ratay 70-82-152, t39. Pat Schaffler 77-76-153, t46. Alex Kent 75-79-154, t68. Peter Rivas 80-78-158.