April 14, 2001
Urbana, Ill. – The University of Notre Dame women’s golf team turned in rounds of 306 and 313 for a 36-hole total of 619 to outdistance the 16 team field in the Illinois Spring Golf Classic by three strokes over the University of Illinois. The Irish set a tournament course record at the par 72, 5,842 yard Stone Creek Golf Club with the 619 total which was nine strokes better than last year’s winner, S.W. Missouri State, who shot a 628 to win in 2000.
The tournament win was the second by the Irish this spring and the third this season, the most-ever by any Notre Dame women’s golf team in the history of the program. The Irish entered the day with a seven stroke lead over Illinois and were able to hold on for the win. Illinois finished second with a 622 total (313-309) and was followed by Ohio University with a 636 (314-322) in third. Western Michigan took fourth place with a 647 (328-319) while Bradley (327-323) and Illinois State (323-327) tied for fifth with 650 totals.
Individually, the Irish went into the final round with senior Shane Smith (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and freshman Shannon Byrne (Arlington Heights, Ill.) tied for first after shooting opening round 74’s. They settled for a third place tie as both shot closing round 79’s for 153 totals. The tie for third was the best finish in both player’s careers while the 153 was Smith’s best 36-hole finish of the 2000-01 season.
The Notre Dame duo finished two strokes behind Illinois State’s Nicole Foy who fired a closing round 75 to go with an opening day 76 for a 153 total. Southwest Missouri State’s Jessica Polus, the defending tournament champion, finished second with a 152 total (77-75). She was followed by Smith and Byrne who tied for third with Illinois’ Marla Cox (76-77) to round out the top five individual finishers.
Contributing to the Notre Dame win was that the Irish placed four golfers in the top 10. Senior Danielle Villarosa (Verona, N.J.) had the best finish of her career as she tied for seventh with a 36-hole total of 156. Villarosa fired a 79 in the opening round and followed with a team-best 77 on Saturday. The 77 was the best round of her career and the 156 was the best 36-hole mark of her career.
Terri Taibl (So., Elm Grove, Wisc.) continued her strong play this spring with a 10th place finish as she contributed rounds of 79 and 78 for a 13-over par total of 157. Freshman Rebecca Rogers (Alpharetta, Ga.) closed out the Irish scoring with a 171 total on rounds of 88 and 83.
The Illinois Spring Classic closes out the 2000-01 season for the Notre Dame women’s golf team.
TEAM RESULTS (FINAL 36-hole totals):
1. Notre Dame 306-313-619, 2. Illinois 313-309-622, 3. Ohio University 314-322-636, 4. Western Michigan 328-319-647, 5. Bradley 327-323-650, Illinois State 323-327-650, 7. Grand Valley State 319-336-655, 8. S.W. Missouri State 329-328-657, 9. Bowling Green 324-335-659, 10. Xavier 336-328-664, 11. Cincinnati 332-338-670, Eastern Illinois 326-344-670, 13. Ferris State 347-332-679, 14. Missouri-Kansas City 340-348-688, 15. Univ. of Indianapolis 347-352-699, 16. DePauw University 354-710.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 84):
1. Nicole Foy (Illinois State) 76-75-151, 2. Jessica Polus (SW Missouri State) 77-75-152, tie 3. Shane Smith (Notre Dame) 74-79-153, Shannon Byrne (Notre Dame) 74-79-153, Marla Cox (Illinois) 76-77-153, 6. Renata Young (Illinois) 78-77-155, tie 7. Danielle Villarosa (Notre Dame) 79-77-156, Jenna Cannon (Bradley) 75-81-156, Marie Walters (Illinois) 76-80-156, tie 10. Terri Taibl (Notre Dame) 79-78-157, Elizabeth Gummere (Grand Valley State) 76-81-157.
NOTRE DAME SCORES:
tie 3. Shane Smith 74-79-153, Shannon Byrne 74-79-153, t7. Danielle Villarosa 79-77-156, t10. Terri Taibl 79-78-157, t53. Rebecca Rogers 88-83-171.