Feb. 18, 2008
PARRISH, Fla. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team opened the spring season with rounds of 315 and 300 at the Central District Invitational on Monday at the par 72, 6,099-yard River Wilderness Golf Club. The Irish are currently tied for seventh and carry a 615 (+39) total into Tuesday’s third and final round of the tournament. Michigan State, the host for the event, leads the 15-team field with a 589 (291-298).
After opening the day with a 315 during the first round of play, the Fighting Irish rebounded in the afternoon’s second round to post a 300. The 15-stroke difference marked the largest improvement of any team in the field. All five Notre Dame golfers either matched or bettered their first-round tally during the second 18 holes of play.
Leading the charge for the Irish was freshman So-Hyun Park (Seoul, South Korea/Bradenton Prep), who carded identical rounds of 75 (+3) on the day to reside in a four-way tie for 12th with a 150 total. Park is 10 shots off the pace established by Sara Brown from Michigan State. Brown’s two rounds of 70 (-2) were the low marks among the 72-golfer field during day one of the tournament.
Following the 23rd-ranked Spartans on the team leader board is No. 14 Kent State (603), while No. 25 Texas A&M and Ohio State are tied for third, both with a 604. Texas (607) is fifth, Missouri (611) is sixth and the 19th-ranked Irish are tied with instate rival Indiana for seventh.
Junior co-captain Lisa Maunu (St. Thomas, Ontario/Parkside Collegiate Institute) posted a 77 in the first round and came back with a team-best two-over par 74 to take a 151 (+7) into the third and final round. Maunu is among a four-way tie for 16th.
Freshman Katie Conway (Wading River, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River) shot rounds of 79 and 76, respectively, during the first two rounds and is in a six-way tie for 28th with a 155 (+11). Annie Brophy (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep), a sophomore, carded an 84 in the morning, yet came back strong with a three-over par 75 in the afternoon and her 159 ties her for 47th. Rounding out the Irish lineup is fellow sophomore Kristin Wetzel (Middletown, N.Y./Hilton Head Prep), who notched rounds of 85 and 78 on the day and is tied for 61st with a 163.
Tuesday’s third and final round of the Central District Invitational will get underway with a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. (ET). Live scoring is available through Golfstat.com and results will be posted on www.msuspartans.com. For additional information please log on to und.com or call the Notre Dame athletics hotline at (574) 631-3000.
Central District Invitational (River Wilderness Golf Club – Parrish, Fla., Par 72, 6,099 yards)
Team Scores (36-hole totals): 1. Michigan State 589 (291-298), 2. Kent State 603 (304-299), 3t. Texas A&M 604 (302-302), 3t. Ohio State 604 (308-296), 5. Texas 607 (304-303), 6. Missouri 611 (306-305), 7t. Notre Dame 615 (315-300), 7t. Indiana 615 (304-311), 9. Michigan 616 (302-314), 10t. SMU 622 (310-312), 10t. Nebraska 622 (314-308), 12. Oklahoma 625 (312-313), 13. Northwestern 626 (314-312), 14. Baylor 631 (317-314), Kansas State 646 (329-317)
Top-5 Golfers (of 72): 1. Sara Brown (Michigan State) 140 (70-70), 2t. Kira Meixner (Kent State) 145 (73-72), 2t. Julia Potter (Missouri) 145 (73-72), 4. Aimee Neff (Michigan State) 146 (71-75), 5. Kirby Dreher (Kent State) 147 (75-72)
Notre Dame Scores: 12. So-Hyun Park 150 (75-75), 16t. Lisa Maunu 151 (77-74), 28t. Katie Conway 155 (79-76), 47t. Annie Brophy 159 (84-75), 61t. Kristin Wetzel 163 (85-78)