Oct. 3, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team began the final round of the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational in third place and after an 18-over par 306 on Tuesday, the Fighting Irish climbed a spot to place second with a three-round total of 931 (316-309-306). Notre Dame’s third round total was its best of the tournament, and tied for the best mark of any team during the final 18 holes at the par 72, 6,232-yard Alvamar Golf Club. Sophomore Lisa Maunu (St. Thomas, Ontario/Collegiate Parkside Institute) registered the first team-leading effort of her Irish career by posting a 13-over par 229 (79-75-75) during the two-day event.
The Fighting Irish finished 14 shots in back of Kansas (917, 304-306-307), the host school for the tournament. The Jayhawks began the day 14 strokes ahead of Arkansas-Little Rock and 15 shots in front of Notre Dame. Arkansas-Little Rock wound up in third place with a 934 (306-318-310). The Trojans’ Anita Ojeda took home medalist honors with a five-over par 221 (72-77-72) and Missouri’s Stephanie Wavro fired the tournament’s low-round with a one-under par 71 on Tuesday to place second with a 222 (76-75-71).
Senior co-captain Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, Ill./Hoffman Estates), who struggled during the first two rounds on Monday, rallied with a two-over par 74 on Tuesday to finish with a 235 (81-80-74) total to place in a tie for 19th overall out of the 88-golfer field. Her third round mark was a team-best score for the tournament. Irish junior Jane Lee (Atlanta, Ga./Peninsula (Calif.)) joined her teammate with a 235 after firing rounds of 76, 78 and 81.
“We’re getting there, it’s still a work in progress,” says Notre Dame head coach Susan Holt. “I thought we played better than we finished but we hit some bumps in the road.”
Also mounting a second-day surge was freshman Annie Brophy (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep), who carded a four-over par 76 and ended in a tie for 34th with a 240 (81-83-76). Her classmate Kristin Wetzel (Middletown, N.Y./Hilton Head Prep School) finished with a 241 (80-76-85) to place 38th and complete Notre Dame’s scoring lineup.
Fighting Irish senior Stacy Brown (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands) was competing as an individual entrant and posted a 258 (87-87-84) to place 75th.
“We played good enough, but we need to get better,” says Holt. “It’s a start and I think we gained some confidence, especially after kind of folding in our own tournament last week. I’m pleased becasuse they came through in the end.”
For full results of the tournament, log onto the official Kansas University athletics web site at www.kuathletics.com.
Notre Dame returns to the course on Oct. 16 and 17 at the Lady Aztec Fall Classic in San Diego, Calif. For additional information please log on to und.com or call the Notre Dame athletics hotline at (574) 631-3000.
Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational (Alvamar Golf Club – Lawrence, Kan., Par 72, 6,232-yards)
Final Team Scores (54-hole totals): 1. Kansas 917 (304-306-307), 2. Notre Dame 931 (316-309-306), 3. Arkansas-Little Rock 934 (306-318-310), 4t. Missouri 936 (311-319-306), 4t. North Texas 936 (313-314-309), 6. Illinois State 940 (312-318-310), 7. Kansas State 942 (317-317-308), 8. Iowa State 944 (319-313-312), 9. Wisconsin 950 (324-313-313), 10. Wichita State 971 (323-325-323), 11. Evansville 978 (331-321-326), 12. Indiana State 986 (321-334-331), 13. UMKC 1,006 (330-343-333), 14. Drake 1,009 (336-338-335), 15. Creighton 1,011 (332-340-339), 16. Southern Mississippi 1,018 (341-337-340).
Final Top-5 Golfers (54-hole totals): 1. Anita Ojeda (Ark.-L. Rock) 221 (72-77-72), 2. Stephanie Wavro (Missouri) 222 (76-75-71), 3. Sara Wikstrom (Ark.-L. Rock) 224 (75-75-74), 4. Emily Powers (Kansas) 225 (74-79-72), 5. Amanda Costner (Kansas) 227 (72-75-80).
Final Notre Dame Scores (54-hole totals): 6t. Lisa Maunu 229 (79-75-75), 19t. Noriko Nakazaki 235 (81-80-74), 19t. Jane Lee 235 (76-78-81), 34t. Annie Brophy 240 (81-83-76), 38. Kristin Wetzel 241 (80-76-85), 75. Stacy Brown * 258 (87-87-84).
* – playing as an individual entrant