Sept. 26, 2004
Lubbock, Texas – The Notre Dame women’s golf team captured a huge tournament victory on Sunday by winning the Jeannine McHaney Invitational/Central Regional Preview by four strokes over Oklahoma. The Irish, who finished with a 17-over par 593 for the 36 holes of play, defeated a very strong 18-team field, which included the top-ranked Missouri Tigers. Notre Dame junior co-captain Katie Brophy (Spokane, WA/Gonzaga Prep) won the individual championship as she carded a two-round total of 141 (69-72). The invitational was shortened to two rounds after Saturday’s second round was rained out at the par 72, 6,234-yard Jerry S. Rawls Golf Course.
The Irish, participating in the program’s first-ever Central Regional preview, entered play on Sunday in third place after posting a score of 296 in Friday’s opening round. Their hot play continued despite Saturday’s layoff, as sophomores Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, IL/Hoffman Estates) and Stacy Brown (The Woodlands, TX/The Woodlands) each fired a two-over par 74 to keep pace with Brophy’s even-par 72. Nakazaki was the second Irish golfer to finish in the top-10 after shooting a 149, which placed her in a four-way tie for 10th. Brown was part of a three-way tie for 14th after posting a 36-hole total of 150.
The victory gives Brophy her third individual title, which is a Notre Dame record. The junior’s play was complimented nicely by the strong performances of her teammates. Freshman Jane Lee (Palos Verdes Estates, CA/Peninsula) carded a two round total of 153 (76-77) and junior Lauren Gebauer (Columbus, OH/Upper Arlington) maintained the consistency for the Irish as she posted a 155 (77-78). Notre Dame head coach Debby King has now captured seven team invitational titles out of 36 tournament appearances during her Irish tenure.
Along with third-place finisher Missouri three other competing teams were ranked among the top-20 of the latest golfweek.com poll, including runner-up Oklahoma, who was ranked 15th. Arkansas, the fifth-place team, ranked 19th and Iowa State placed tenth after entering the weekend ranked 16th. Missouri also featured the number-one ranked golfer in Maria Ohlsson according to golfweek.com. She fired a 145 (70-75) to place fourth.
Continue to follow the Notre Dame women’s golf team throughout the 2004-05 campaign by logging on to www.und.com or call the Notre Dame athletics hotline at (574) 631-3000.
Team Scores (final 36-hole totals): 1. Notre Dame 296-297=593, 2. Oklahoma 298-299=597, 3t. Southern Methodist 291-307=598, 3t. Missouri 295-303=598, 5. Arkansas 301-301=602, 6. Tulsa 305-299=604, 7. Texas Tech 306-303=609, 8. TCU 304-306=610, 9. Baylor 303-317=620, 10. Iowa State 306-315=621, 11t. Oral Roberts 308-314=622, 11t. Xavier 315-307=622, 13. Kansas 311-317=628, 14. New Mexico State 315-315=630, 15t. Kansas State 315-317=632, 15t. Nebraska 311-321=632, 17. Arkansas State 316-325=641, 18. Sam Houston State 329-342=671.
Top 10 Golfers plus Notre Dame scores (final 36-hole totals): 1. Katie Brophy (Notre Dame) 69-72=141, 2. Amparo Gala (Oklahoma) 71-72=143, 3. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas) 68-76=144, 4. Maria Ohlsson (Missouri) 70-75=145, 5. Jennifer Ackerson (SMU) 72-75=147, 6t. Valerie Tan (Texas Tech) 75-73=148, 6t. Denise Knaebel (Missouri) 75-73=148, 6t. Emily Milberger (Oklahoma) 75-73=148, 6t. Lisa Meshke (Iowa State) 72-76=148, 10t. Cas Bridge (Tulsa) 77-72=149, 10t. Noriko Nakazaki (Notre Dame) 75-74=149, 10t. Laura Cross (SMU) 74-75=149, 10t. Lehua Wise (New Mex. St.) 73-76=149, 14t. Stacy Brown (Notre Dame) 76-74=150, 26t. Jane Lee (Notre Dame) 76-77=153, 47t. Lauren Gebauer (Notre Dame) 77-78=155.
— ND –