Oct. 15, 2012
NORMAN, Okla. – The No. 17/20 (GolfWeek, Golfstat) University of Notre Dame women’s golf team is tied for second place after firing a one-over par 289 opening round of play on day one at the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic on Monday.
The three-day tournament is being held at the par-72 Jimmy Austin OU Golf Club that measures 6,327 yards.
The Irish trail host Oklahoma by five strokes as the Sooners carded a four-under par 284. Notre Dame sits in a three-way tie with Texas Tech and Texas State, both of which they have already defeated this fall.
“We started out slow today, but caught a nice surge from hole 10 to hole 12, shooting a four-under par as a team,” says head coach Susan Holt. “Lindsey (Weaver) and Kelli (Oride) both performed well for us today.”
Freshman Lindsey Weaver (Scottsdale, Ariz.) shot the best round of her collegiate career, firing a four-under par 68, placing her in a three-way tie for first. Weaver birdied seven holes on the day and three of her final four holes. This will mark the third tournament in a row that Weaver has shot a round under par.
Junior Tonje Daffinrud from the University of Denver and senior Kimberly Kaufman from Texas Tech are both tied with Weaver for the lead. Junior Sanna Nuutinen from TCU is in fourth place, knocking on the door as she fired a three-under par 69. Eighteen players in the field have shot even or under par through the first round.
Ever-consistent sophomore Kelli Oride (Lihue, Hawaii) did not disappoint carding an even-par score through her first round. Oride parred twelve holes on the day and birdied three. In her last outing, Oride birdied just two holes and has the opportunity in the next two days to finish well. Oride currently sits in a six-way tie for 13th place.
Freshman Talia Campbell (Dallas, Texas) started slowly on her first nine, firing a three-over par 39, but finished strong with two birdies on the back for a one-under par 35. She finished with a two-over par 74 and pars on three-of-four par fives. Campbell was even par on the par threes throughout the day. She was able to stay fluent with the high irons by parring three and birdieing one of the par threes through the course. She is tied with twelve others for 27th place.
Sophomore Ashley Armstrong (Flossmoor, III.) carded an even score through her first nine holes. Armstrong picked up two birdies, one on each nine holes. She caught a great rhythm parring or birdieing holes five through thirteen before giving up her second bogey of the day on hole fourteen. Armstrong carded a three-over par 75. The par fives were Armstrong’s strong point as she parred three and birdied one. Armstrong is tied with 14 others for 39th place.
Junior Kristina Nhim (Cypress, Calif.) faired the best on the back nine, firing just a one-over par 37. Nhim parred 10 holes throughout her round. She picked up two birdies on the day, one of them coming off a pesky par-five. Nhim finished with a five-over par 77. Nhim is set in a five-way tie for 60th place going into day two.
“I feel good about going into day two tomorrow,” says Holt. “This course scores well, but is a great equalizer allowing a lot of teams a chance to get back in at any point. Oklahoma is going to be tough to beat. They know the course better than any team out here. We are going to have really get after it the next two days to keep pace with Oklahoma.”
The Irish return to action Tuesday morning for day two of the Susan Maxwell Berning Classic. The field will play one round of 18 holes. The Irish will tee off from the first tee starting at 11:20 a.m. (EST).
TOP-TEN TEAM RESULTS (18-hole totals): 1. Oklahoma 284; t2. Notre Dame 289; t2. Texas tech 289; t2. Texas State 289; 5. Denver 290; 6. Ohio State 291; t7. Coastal Carolina; t7. Kansas 297; 9. SMU 298; 10. Kansas 300.
TOP-FIVE INDIVIDUALS: t1. Lindsey Weaver (Notre Dame); t1. Tonje Daffinrud (Denver) 68; t1. Kimberly Kaufman (Texas Tech) 68; 4. Sanna Nuutinen (TCU) 69; t5. Emily Collins (Oklahoma) 70; t5. Chirapat Jao-Javanill (Oklahoma) 70; t5. Carly Ragains (Kansas State) 70; t5. Anna Tanguay (Oklahoma) 70.
NOTRE DAME GOLFERS: t1. Lindsey Weaver; t13. Kelli Oride; t27. Talia Campbell; t39. Ashley Armstrong; t60. Kristina Nhim.
–ND–