Oct. 14, 2002
Wichita, Kan. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team fired rounds of 307 and 308 on Monday afternoon for a 36-hole total of 39-over par 615, good for sixth-place at the Marilyn Smith/Sunflower Invitational. The Irish trail Kansas State (603) by 12 strokes going into Tuesday’s final round of play at the par 72, 5,928-yard Willowbend Golf Club.
Kansas State opened with rounds of 304 and 299 and has a one-stroke edge over Texas-El Paso (309-295-604). Illinois State (303-304-607) is third, Kansas (309-303-612) stands fourth and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (310-304-614) is rounds out the top five, just one stroke ahead of the Irish.
The Irish have three golfers among the top 25 led by freshman Sarah Bassett (Spokane, Wash.), who shot a four-over par 76 during the morning round and followed that with a two-over par 74 for a six-over par day of 150. That puts her six strokes behind the tournament leader – Randi Gauthier of North Texas – who shot a 36-hole total of 144 (70-74) for a three-stroke lead over Kansas State’s Christine Boucher, who had a 147 (74-73) for her opening rounds. Anne Mallory (70-78) of Texas-El Paso and Ashlie Rose (74-74) of Illinois State are tied for third with 148.
Four golfers joined Bassett in a tie for fifth with 150 totals. Joining the Irish freshmen were Texas A&M-CC’s Ashlie Simmons (75-75), Illinois State’s Ashlee Johnson (75-75) and Wichita State’s Amy Lee (77-73).
Also in the top 25 for Notre Dame were freshman Katie Brophy (Spokane, Wash.) and Karen Lotta (So., Los Angeles, Calif.). Brophy is tied for 23rd with a nine-over par 153 (77-76) and Lotta is tied for 26th with a 10-over total of 154 as she fired a pair of 77’s for the day.
Junior Shannon Byrne (Arlington Heights, Ill.) goes into Tuesday’s final round tied for 44th after shooting 77-81 for a 148 and Rebecca Rogers (Alpharetta, Ga.) closed out the Irish lineup in a tie for 68th with a 36-hole total of 164 (81-83).
The final round of action in Wichita, Kan., will begin Tuesday morning with an 8:30 a.m. (CDT) shotgun start.
TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals): 1. Kansas State 304-299-603; 2. Texas-El Paso 309-295-604; 3. Illinois State 303-304-607; 4. Kansas 309-303-612; 5. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 310-304-614; 6. Notre Dame 307-308-615; t7. Arkansas-Little Rock 316-303-619; North Texas 309-310-619; t9. Oral Roberts 303-318-621; Southern Methodist 311-310-621; 11. Minnesota 319-310-629; 12. Wichita State 315-315-630; 13. Northern Iowa 323-316-639; 14. Missouri-Kansas City 321-319-640; 15. NE Oklahoma State 328-317-645; 16. SW Missouri State 343-319-662; 17. Creighton 337-327-664.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 92): 1. Randi Gauthier (No. Texas) 70-74-144; 2. Christine Boucher (Kansas State) 74-73-147; t3. Anne Mallory (UTEP) 70-78-148; Ashlie Rose (Illinois State) 74-74-148; t5. Sarah Bassett (Notre Dame) 76-74-150; Ashlie Simmons (Tex. A&M-CC) 75-75-150; Ashlee Johnson (Illinois State) 75-75-150; Amy Lee (Wichita State) 77-73-150; t9. Karyn Stordahl (Minnesota) 80-71-151; Miranda Smith (Kansas State) 77-74-151.
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 92): t5. Sarah Bassett 76-74-150; t23. Katie Brophy 77-76-153; t26. Karen Lotta 77-77-154; t44. Shannon Byrne 77-81-158; t68. Rebecca Rogers 81-83-164.