March 10, 2012
Baton Rouge, La. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team struggled in the opening round of the LSU Tiger Classic, firing an 18-hole total of 30-over-par 318 and are 13th in the 14-team tournament going into Saturday’s second round.
The tournament is being played at the par-72, 6,350-yard University Club of Baton Rouge, the home course for the LSU men and women’s golf teams.
The opening round was delayed for two-and-a-half hours due to rain and went to a shotgun start at 11:00 a.m. so that the first round could be completed. Fifth-ranked LSU, the tournament host, leads after the first day with a seven-over par, 297 on a course that was wet due to rain before the start and throughout the opening round.
The Tigers have a three-stroke lead over Tennessee at 10-over par 298. North Carolina is third with a 13-over 301 and Vanderbilt is fourth after firing a 14-over par 302 on Friday. Virginia rounds out the top five with a 16-over par 304.
Notre Dame was led by senior Becca Huffer (Denver, Colo.) who opened the day with a double bogey on the par 4 12th hole. She quickly got back to even par after back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15. She added a third birdie on the par 4 ninth to finish with an opening round of four-over par 76 to tie for 17th.
Second on the Irish ledger was freshman Ashley Armstrong (Flossmoor, Ill.) who battled the course and the weather all day to finish with a hard-fought five-over par 77 to tie for 27th. Her round included seven bogeys and two birdies while playing in the No. 1 spot for coach Susan Holt’s squad.
Sophomore Kristina Nhim (Cypress, Calif.) was third in the Notre Dame lineup as she had a nine-over par 81 to tie for 57th.
Freshman Kelli Oride (Lihue, Hawaii) tied for 67th with a 12-over par 84 and senior Katie Allare (Phoenix, Ariz.) was 77th after shooting an 18-over par 90.
The tournament’ individual leader after 18 holes is Vanderbilt’s Marina Alex who had a two-under par 70. She has a one-stroke lead over LSU’s Madelene Sagstrom who opened the day with a one-over par 71. Four players were tied for third with an even-par 72. Brooke Beeler of TCU, Lauren Greenlief of Virginia, Catherine O’Donnell of North Carolina and Lauren Stratton of Vanderbilt are all two strokes off the lead with even-par rounds of 70.
Saturday’s second round of play is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. (CT) with Notre Dame teeing off on the 10th hole. Allare will start at 8:30, Oride will tee off at 8:40, Nhim at 8:50, Armstrong at 9:00 a.m. and Huffer at 9:10 a.m.
TEAM RESULTS (18-hole totals): 1. LSU 295; 2. Tennessee 298; 3. North Carolina 301; 4. Vanderbilt 302; 5. Virginia 304; 6. TCU 306; 7. North Carolina State 308, t8. Purdue 311; Kentucky 311; 10. Louisville 314; 11. UNC-Wilmington 315; 12. Louisiana Monroe 317; 13. Notre Dame 318; 14. College of Charleston 322.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 78): 1. Marina Alex (Vanderbilt) 70; 2. Madeline Sagstrom (LSU) 71; t3. Brooke Beeler (TCU) 72; Lauren Greenlief (Virginia) 72; Catherine O’Donnell (North Carolina) 72;Lauren Stratton (Vanderbilt 72; t7. Austin Ernst (LSU) 73; Augusta James (North Carolina State) 73; Sara Monberg (Tennessee) 73; Tessa Teachman (LSU) 73.
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 78): t17. Becca Huffer; 76; t27. Ashley Armstrong 77; t57 Kristina Nhim, 81; 74; t67. Kelli Oride, 84; 77. Katie Allare, 90.