April 6, 2001
Huntington, W.Va. – The Notre Dame men’s golf team finished the first 36 holes of play at the Marshall Invitational in 13th place (in a field of 20 teams) with a 19-over par total of 587 on rounds of 298 and 289. The Irish trail first place Ohio State by 29 strokes on the 6,446-yard, par 71 Guyan Golf and Country Club course. The Buckeyes fired a 10-under par total of 558 (283-275) on the opening day of the tournament.
The Irish two-round total of 587 is their best 36-hole mark of the spring and the second best team total of the season, trailing just the 581-total shot at the Legends of Indiana Tournament in the fall. Notre Dame is just 10 strokes out of fourth place with 18 holes left to play on Saturday.
Trailing Ohio State in the team race is the University of Toledo in second, eight strokes behind OSU with a 566 total (286-280). Miami (OH) is third with 571 (281-290) and Eastern Michigan (292-285) and Iowa (291-286) round out the top five with 577 totals.
Notre Dame senior Alex Kent (Lambare, Paraguay) continued his hot play this spring by shooting a one-over par 143 on rounds of 72 and 71. Kent is nine strokes off the pace set by Ohio State’s Mike Austin who fired back-to-back 67’s for a 134 total. That gives him a three-stroke lead over Louisville’s Chris Campbell (69-68) and Toledo’s Brad Heaven (68-69) who are tied for second with five-under par totals of 137. Kent’s 143 total ties him with five other golfers for 16th place as 15 golfers shot par or better for the first 36 holes.
Following Kent among the Irish golfers are junior Steve Ratay (Arlington Heights, Ill.) and freshman Peter Rivas (New Orleans, La.) who finished the first day tied for 43rd overall with six-over par totals of 148. Ratay opened with a 77 before equalling Kent’s 71 in the second round. Rivas fired a solid 72-76 for his 148 total.
Sophomore Kyle Monfort (Dublin, Ohio) closed the day tied for 54th with rounds of 77 and 72 for a 149. Senior Pat Schaffler (Dallas, Tex.) rounded out the Irish contingent as he tied for 77th with a 10-over par total of 152 (77-75).
The final round of play will begin on Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m.
FINAL TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals):
1. Ohio State 283-275-558, 2. Toledo 286-280-566, 3. Miami (OH) 281-290-571, 4. Eastern Michigan 292-285-577, Iowa 291-286-577, 6. Michigan 289-289-578, 7. Xavier 289-290-579, 8. Wisconsin 293-289-582, Louisville 291-291-582, 10. Kentucky 289-294-583, 11. Eastern Kentucky 291-293-584, 12. Indiana 301-284-585, 13. Notre Dame 298-289-587, 14. Marshall 300-288-588, 15. Ohio University 296-295-591, 16. Illinois 299-297-596, 17. Murray State 297-301-598, 18. Northern Illinois 303-301-604, 19. Cincinnati 307-301-608, 20. Western Kentucky 307-305-612.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 100):
1. Mike Austin (Ohio State) 67-67-134, 2. Chris Campbell (Louisville) 69-68-137, Brad Heaven (Toledo) 68-69-137, 4. Wes Furnish (Kentucky) 68-72-140, Brad Pemberton (Eastern Michigan) 69-71-140, Matt Stutzman (Iowa) 69-71-140, Ryan Wilson (Kentucky) 71-69-140, 8. Jeff Marr (Xavier) 68-73-141, Tim Donovan (Xavier) 72-69-141, 10. Six golfers tied with 142.
NOTRE DAME SCORES:
t16. Alex Kent 72-71-143, t43. Steve Ratay 77-71-148, t43. Peter Rivas 72-76-148, t54. Kyle Monfort 77-72-149, t77. Pat Schaffler 77-75-152.