Nov. 8, 2005
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team concluded the fall season with a second-place finish at the Lady Jaguar Invitational on Tuesday afternoon. The Fighting Irish shot a 19-over par 307 during the second and final round on Tuesday at the par 72, 6,094-yard Forest Hills Golf Club to finish the event with a 36-hole total of 617 (+41). Junior Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, Ill./Hoffman Estates) posted her third team-leading effort of the season for the Irish with a three-over par 147 (74-73) to place second among the field of 68.
Augusta State, the host school for the tournament, posted the top two rounds of the event with a 302 on Monday and a 299 on Tuesday to best the 13-team field with an 25-over par 601 total. The Jaguars’ Lauren Smith won the individual title with a two-over par 146 (71-75).
“This tournament was lost on putting,” stated Notre Dame head coach Debby King. “A lot of local knowledge was needed for the greens on this course. Unfortunately in college you only get one practice round and in the pros you get two or three. But that’s just part of college golf.”
Notre Dame freshman Lisa Maunu (St. Thomas, Ontario/Collegiate Park Institute) had an impressive final day of the fall campaign as she fired her top round of the season with a one-over par 73 on Tuesday. She placed tied for eighth overall with an 11-over par 155 (82-73). Senior Katie Brophy (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep) finished with a 13-over par 157 (76-81) to place in a tie at 14th.
Sophomore Jane Lee (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif./Peninsula) carded a 15-over par 159 (78-81), which placed her in a tie at 18th for the Fighting Irish. Senior Lauren Gebauer (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) rounded out the Notre Dame lineup with a 19-over par 163 (83-80) to finish tied for 33rd. “Katie (Brophy), Lauren (Gebauer) and Jane (Lee) were not on top of their game today,” said King. “When you don’t have three players on top of their game it makes it tough. But Lisa (Maunu) put it all together today and Noriko (Nakazaki) was her usual consistent self.”
“Our first and last tournaments of the semester were our worst but in the middle we did the best that we’ve ever done. So it’s neat to know that it’s there.”
Notre Dame will open the spring slate at the Central District Classic in Parrish, Fla. on February 19, 2006.
“This winter we’ll do cardio and strength conditioning along with working with our sports psychologist,” commented King following Tuesday’s final round of the fall season. “We’ll be able to stay in touch with golf both mentally and physically. The Central District, which is our first event of the spring, is very good and we are fortunate to be back. We didn’t do that well there last season so we’ll be looking for some revenge.”
Stay up-to-date on the Notre Dame women’s golf team by logging on to und.com or by calling the Notre Dame Athletics Hotline at (574) 631-3000.
Lady Jaguar Invitational (Forest Hills Golf Club – Augusta, Ga., Par 72, 6,094-yards)
Final Team Scores (36-hole totals): 1. Augusta State 601 (302-299), 2. Notre Dame 617 (310-307), 3. East Tennessee State 626 (316-310), 4. Arkansas State 633 (314-319), 5. Western Carolina 636 (322-314), 6. Florida International 642 (321-321), 7. Jacksonville State 645 (326-319), 8. Birmingham-Southern 646 (323-323), 9. Florida State 663 (327-336), 10. Elon 664 (344-320), 11. Richmond 674 (336-338), 12. James Madison 676 (347-329), 13. Wyoming 684 (344-340).
Top-5 Golfers (36-hole totals): 1. Lauren Smith (Augusta State) 146 (71-75), 2. Noriko Nakazaki (Notre Dame) 147 (74-73), 3t. Mercedes Huarte (Jacksonville State) 149 (75-74), 3t. Amanda Smith (Augusta State) 149 (75-74), 5. Emilie Geury (Augusta State) 151 (78-73).
Final Notre Dame Scores (36-hole totals): 2. Noriko Nakazaki 147 (74-73), 8t. Lisa Maunu 155 (82-73), 14t. Katie Brophy 157 (76-81), 18t. Jane Lee 159 (78-81), 33t. Lauren Gebauer 163 (83-80).
— ND —