March 29, 2003
Lexington, Ky. – The Notre Dame men’s golf team fired rounds of 313 and 302 for a 615 total after the opening 36 holes of the Johnny Owens Invitational Saturday afternoon. That puts the Irish 18 strokes behind tournament leader Vanderbilt after the Commodores shot a 597 (298-299) for their opening round. The tournament is being played at the University Club of Kentucky’s par 72, 6,992-yard Big Blue Course.
Individually, Notre Dame’s Scott Gustafson (Fr., Eden Prairie, Minn.) is tied for second with a two-over par 146. That puts him one stroke behind Indiana’s Heath Peters who shot rounds of 70 and 75 for a 36-hole total of 145.
The University of Kentucky stands just two strokes off Vanderbilt’s pace with a 599 total after shooting rounds of 301 and 298. Indiana is third with a 36-hole total of 600 after rounds of 298 and 302. Miami of Ohio is fourth, 10 strokes behind Vanderbilt with a 607 (309-298). Eastern Kentucky and Arkansas-Little Rock are tied for fifth with a 609. Eastern shot rounds of 313 and 296 for the day, while Arkansas-Little Rock had rounds of 302 and 307.
Gustafson opened the tournament for the Irish with a two-over par 74 in the opening round and followed that with an even-par 72 for his 146 total. He is tied for second with Kentucky’s Brandon Waldorp who shot back-to-back rounds of 73. Following Gustafson and Waldorp in a tie for fourth are Indiana’s Jeff Overton and Eastern Kentucky’s Josh Crutcher. That duo is one stroke behind Gustafson with three-over par 147s.
Following Gustafson for the Irish is senior Brandon Lunke (Sr., San Antonio, Texas) who is tied for 25th with a nine-over par 153 as he shot rounds of 78 and 75 on Saturday. Freshman Mark Baldwin (Laconia, N.H.) is tied for 38th with a 156 (79-77). He is followed by Eric Deutsch (Fr., Rochester, Minn.) who is tied for 57th with a 160 (82-78) and Bill McCaughan (Jr., Key Biscayne, Fla.) rounds out the Irish five in a tie for 67th after rounds of 82 and 80 give him a 16-over par 160.
The final round of play will begin on Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. at the Big Blue Course in Lexington, Ky.
TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals): 1. Vanderbilt 298-299-597; 2. Kentucky 301-2918-599; 3. Indiana 298-302-600; 4. Miami (OH) 309-298-607; t5. Eastern Kentucky 313-296-609; Arkansas-Little Rock 302-307-609; 7. Western Kentucky 310-304-614; 8. Notre Dame 313-302-615; 9. Ball State 313-304-617; 10. Ohio University 312-307-619; 11. Xavier 309-311-620; 12. Louisville 315-306-621; 13. Michigan 318-308-626; 14. Marshall 317-318-635; 15. Morehead State 320-318-638.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 81): 1. Heath Peters (Indiana) 70-75-145; t2. Scott Gustafson (Notre Dame) 74-72-146; Brandon Waldorp (Kentucky) 73-73-146; t4. Jeff Overton (Indiana) 72-75-147; Josh Crutcher (Eastern Kentucky) 75-72-147; t6. Mark Weghorst (Miami-OH) 77-71-148; Raul Sanz (Arkansas-Little Rock) 74-74-148; Brian Harger (Xavier) 73-75-148; Ryan Coyne (Kentucky) 74-74-148; t10. Robby Shaw (Western Kentucky) 76-73-149; Kenny Cook (Ball State) 75-74-149.
NOTRE DAME PLAYERS (of 81): t2. Scott Gustafson 74-72-146; t25. Brandon Lunke 78-75-153; t38. Mark Baldwin 79-77-156; t57. Eric Deutsch 82-78-160; t67. Bill McCaughan 82-80-162.