April 20, 2002
Notre Dame, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s golf team played two of its best rounds of the spring shooting rounds of 297 and 289 for a 26-over par total of 586. That puts the Irish nine strokes behind second-round leader Virginia Tech as the Hokies stand 17-over par with a 577 team-total (290-287) after 36 holes at Notre Dame’s Warren Golf Course. St. John’s is second after rounds of 288 and 296 for a 584, seven strokes behind Virginia Tech.
Individually, St. John’s Andrew Svoboda, one of the three returning tri-winners of the 2001 BIG EAST Championship, owns a one-stroke lead going into Sunday’s final 18 holes of play. Svoboda shot rounds of 71 and 70 on the par 70, 6,774-yard Warren Golf Course for a 36-hole total of one-over par 141. He leads Seton Hall’s Justin Van Hyning (72-70) and Georgetown’s Nick Cook (71-71) by one stroke as each shot a two-over par 142.
Two strokes off the lead is Notre Dame’s Steve Ratay (Sr., Arlington Heights, Ill.) who is one of the defending champions along with Svoboda and Virginia Tech’s Brian Krusoe. Ratay opened with a two-over par 72 in the first round and followed with a one-over par 71 for his 143 total. He is tied with Virginia Tech’s Johnson Wagner who led Svoboda and Cook by one stroke after the first round with an even-par 70. He was three-over par in the second round for his 143 total.
The Irish got strong, consistent performances from their entire squad. Freshman Ryan Marshall (Marco Island, Fla.) is tied for seventh after two rounds after shooting rounds of 73 and 72 for a five-over par 145 which puts him four strokes behind the tournament leader.
Sophomore William McCaughan (Key Biscayne, Fla.), playing in just his second career tournament, tied for 13th in the 30-team field with a nine-over par 149 on rounds of 76 and 73. Senior Chris Whitten (Rockford, Mich.) is 18th with a 151 (76-75) and freshman Steve Colnitis (Baldwin, Md.) was 21st with a 153 (80-73).
Georgetown is fourth in the tournament with a 594 (296-298), Seton Hall is fifth with a 602 (307-295) and Connecticut rounds out the field with a 613 (311-302).
TEAM RESULTS (36 holes): 1. Virginia Tech 290-287-577, 2. St. John’s 288-296-584, 3. Notre Dame 297-289-586, 4. Georgetown 296-298-594, 5. Seton Hall 307-295-602, 6. Connecticut 311-302-613.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 30): 1. Andrew Svoboda (St. John’s) 71-70-141, t2. Justin Van Hyning (Seton Hall) 72-70-142, Nick Cook (Georgetown) 71-71-142, t4. Steve Ratay (Notre Dame) 72-71-143, Johnson Wagner (Virginia Tech) 70-73-143, 6. Chris McKeel (Virginia Tech) 73-71-144, t7. Jesse Fitzgerald (St. John’s) 74-71-145, Ryan Marshall (Notre Dame) 73-72-145, Ryan Stinnett (Virginia Tech) 75-70-145, 10. Brian Krusoe (Virginia Tech) 72-75-147.
NOTRE DAME PLAYERS (of 30): t4. Steve Ratay 72-71-143, t7. Ryan Marshall 73-72-145, t13. William McCaughan 76-73-149, 18. Chris Whitten 76-75-151, 21. Steve Colnitis 80-73-153.