April 22, 2013
ORLANDO, Fla. – The 26th ranked University of Notre Dame women’s golf team took over the top spot on the team leaderboard after the second round of the 2013 BIG EAST Conference Championship Monday afternoon (April 22). The Irish carded a three-under-par 285 for a two-day total of a three-over-par 579 (294-285) at the Reunion Resort par-72 Tom Watson Course (6,124 yards).
Starting the second round down by seven strokes to the University of Louisville (294-287), Notre Dame outshot the Cardinals by eight strokes. The Irish will start the third and final day with a one-stroke lead over Louisville (287-293-580) and with a 23-stroke lead over third place Cincinnati (304-298-602).
The three-under-par 285 team score was the best round Notre Dame has shot during the 2012-13 season. It additionally ties as the second-best round recorded in the history of the program. The last time Notre Dame posted a round of 285 was at the Cougar Classic during the 2003-04 season. It is also the best round the Irish have shot in the history of the tournament. The previous best round came during the first round of 2007 with a 292.
The two-round total of 579 is the best opening two round score by the Irish in the conference tournament overtaking the previous best by 13 strokes. The program’s top opening two-round score at the BIG EAST Championship was recorded by the 2011 team (592). That same year the squad advanced to the NCAA Championship for the first time in program history and placed fifth in the NCAA Regionals prior to that appearance.
The Irish were the only team in the field to shoot under par on the day as all five active roster members stayed the same or improved their position on the player leaderboard from day one.
Emily Haas from Louisville, the 2012 individual runner-up, currently leads the field with a four-under-par 140 (72-68).
“It was a great team effort today,” says Notre Dame head coach Susan Holt. “Everyone stepped up today to get us back in contention and I am proud of the way we worked our way back in. We are really going to have to earn it tomorrow and step up. Louisville is a great team and we are going to have to finish strong in the final day.”
Freshman Lindsey Weaver (Scottsdale, Ariz.) held her second-place position on the player leaderboard after firing a two-under-par 70. It is seventh round this season that Weaver has shot under par.
Weaver, the No. 16 ranked player in the nation, improved by five strokes from her first round score, as she picked up birdies on four holes on the front side and finishing with a three-under-par 33.
The freshman also made birdie on holes 12 (par 3, 170 yards) and 13 (par 4, 358 yards). Weaver wrapped up her second round with four pars on the backside for a one-over-par 37. Weaver leads the Irish with nine birdies through the 36 holes played.
Freshman Talia Campbell (Dallas, Texas) fired the best round of her collegiate career as she carded a three-under-par 69. Campbell moved into a tie with Weaver for second place on the leaderboard after beginning the day tied for sixth.
After giving up a bogey on the first hole (par 5, 508 yards), the Irish rookie made par on six straight holes. Campbell closed out her remaining two holes on the front nine with back-to-back birdies on hole eight (par 5, 499 yards) and nine (par 4, 360 yards) for a one-under-par 35.
The freshman registered a bogey on hole 11 (par 4, 280 yards), but followed with three birdies and four pars to close out her second round.
Sophomore Ashley Armstrong, (Flossmoor, Ill.) the second-highest ranked golfer in the field, concluded her second round at even par. Armstrong finished in 13th place advancing from her 22nd place starting position after the first round.
Armstrong progressed by five strokes on the front nine from yesterday’s outing parring her first five holes and making birdie on hole eight (par 5, 499 yards) to finish with an even-par 36.
The defending BIG EAST champion, matched her even-par score on the back nine from yesterdays round. The sophomore bogeyed hole 18 (par 4, 382 yards), but cancelled it out with a birdie on hole 12 (par 3, 170 yards). Armstrong has pars on 29 of the 36 holes she has played thus far.
Junior Kristina Nhim (Cypress, Calif.) finalized her second round with a two-over-par 74 scorecard, moving up to 10th place after starting in 11th.
Nhim was two-under through the first nine holes she faced. The junior parred the first six holes and followed by birdies on holes 7(par 3, 169 yards) and eight.
Nhim was two shots over on hole 10 (par 4, 371 yards) and 14 (par 5, 463 yards), but finished her round with four straight pars before returning to the clubhouse. Nhim will look to add to the 25 pars she has acquired through the two rounds she has played thus far.
Sophomore Kelli Oride (Lihue, Hawaii) wrapped up her second round with a four-over-par 76. Oride advanced to 17th place after beginning in 22nd place.
Oride parred four holes on the front nine and birdied holes seven and eight for a one-over-par 37. On the back, Oride parred five more holes and made birdie on hole 17 (par 5, 490 yards). It was Oride’s best second round score she has turned in since the Windy City Collegiate Classic (Oct. 2).
To this point Oride has parred 19 holes and achieved five birdies.
The Irish compiled a 72.2 stroke average between the five student-athletes out shooting the field stroke average by 4.16 strokes.
Notre Dame will tee off for the third and final round of the BIG EAST Championship on hole one from 8:50 a.m.-9:30 a.m. with Louisville and Cincinnati in its pairing.
TEAMS: 1. Notre Dame 579 (294-285), 2. Louisville 580 (287-293), 3. Cincinnati 602 (304-298), 4. Seton Hall 603 (301-302), 5. St. John’s 605 (302-303), 7. Georgetown 614 (305-309), 8. Rutgers 622 (304-318).
INDIVIDUALS (TOP-5): 1. Emily Hass (Louisville) 140/-4, T2. Talia Campbell 141/-3, T2. Lindsey Weaver 141/-3, 4. Harin Lee (St. John’s) 143/-1, 5. Katie Petrino (Louisville) 145/+1.
NOTRE DAME: T2. Talia Campbell 140 (72-68), T2. Lindsey Weaver 140 (71-70), T10. Kristina Nhim 148 (74-74), 13. Ashley Armstrong 149 (77-72), Kelli Oride 153 (77-76).
–ND–