Sept. 29, 2002
Notre Dame, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team won its first tournament of the year on Sunday afternoon, edging Western Michigan by three strokes in the third annual Notre Dame Women’s Golf Invitational. The victory marked the second time in three years that Notre Dame has won the tournament, winning the inaugural tourney in 2000.
After a two-hour and 20-minute delay due to rain and lightning, the Irish shot a final round total of 319 to finish with a 54-hole total of 945 (316-310-319). The Broncos, who turned in the best round of the day with a 308, started the day in third-place, 14 strokes behind the Irish. Western finished with a 948 (325-315-308) for the weekend.
Third-place went to Northern Iowa with a 953 (314-314-325) with Ohio University fourth and Wichita State fifth. Ohio finished 20 strokes behind the Irish with a 965 (318-329-318) while Wichita State fired a 968 (316-327-325).
Notre Dame placed five golfers among the top 20 for the weekend at the Warren Golf Course. Leading the Irish was sophomore Karen Lotta (Los Angeles, Calif.) who played as an individual participant. Lotta finished in a tie for third after shooting the best round of the tournament and a career-best, even-par 72. That gave her a three-round total of 232, two strokes behind the individual medalist, Cincinnati’s Allison Crouch. Crouch fired a 54-hole total of 230 with rounds of 77, 75 and 78.
Second-place belonged to Evansville’s Andrea Werner who shot a final round 75 to give her a 231 total after shooting rounds of 79 and 77 on Saturday. Rutgers Jeannine Mondesando finished tied with Lotta with a 232. She went into the final round tied for second and shot an 80 to go with a 75 and 77.
Irish freshman Lauren Gebauer (Columbus, Ohio) finished in a three-way tie for fifth with an 18-over par 235. She entered the final round tied for second with Mondesando after shooting 75-77 on Saturday. Northern Iowa’s Mikkell Korver (77-73-84) and Western Michigan’s Stephanie Donkin (80-79-75) tied Gebauer for fifth at 235.
Rounding out the Irish golfers in the top 20 were Shannon Byrne (Jr., Arlington Heights, Ill.), Sarah Bassett (Fr., Spokane, Wash.) and Katie Brophy (Fr., Spokane, Wash.). Byrne was 15th overall with a 239 total turning in rounds of 82, 77 and 80. Bassett, who was among the top five golfers in the tournament after 36-holes with a 156, struggled on Sunday, firing an 85 to tie for 18th with a 242. Brophy opened with an 87 on Saturday, but bounced back with strong rounds of 78 and 77 to tie for 20th with a 242.
Rebecca Rogers (Jr. Alpharetta, Ga.) tied for 41st with a 248 (83-85-80) and Lauren Barbir (Fr., Montgomery, Texas) tied for 47th in her first collegiate event with a 249 total (81-85-83).
The Notre Dame women’s golf team captured the 2002 Notre Dame Women’s Golf Invitational at the Warren Golf Course. The Irish won the tournament for the second time in three years.
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Two Irish golfers joined Lotta playing as individual participants. Freshman Suzie Hayes (Dublin, Ireland) tied for 31st with a 245 (85-82-78) and Terri Taibl (Sr., Elm Grove, Wis.) tied for 64th with a 255 (84-86-85).
Notre Dame returns to action on October 7-8 when they travel to Franklin, Ind. to participate in the Shootout at the Legends at the Legends of Indiana Course.
FINAL TEAM RESULTS (54-hole totals): 1. Notre Dame 316-310-319-645; 2. Western Michigan 325-315-308-948; 3. Northern Iowa 314-314-325-953; 4. Ohio University 318-329-318-965; 5. Wichita State 316-327-325-968; 6. Bradley 319-326-328-973; 7. Xavier 332-323-320-975; 8. Ball State 330-321-330-981; 9. Cincinnati 336-322-324-982; 10. Rutgers 326-338-322-986; 11. Eastern Michigan 331-337-322-990; 12. Texas-Pan American 343-326-324-993; 13. Butler 333-327-334-994; 14. Arkansas State 338-328-329-996; 15. Georgetown 339-342-341-1022; 16. Boston College 345-344-338-1027; 17. Evansville 355-340-347-1042; 18. Cleveland State 364-359-351-1074
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 109): 1. Allison Couch (Cincinnati) 77-75-78-230; 2. Andrea Werner (Evansville) 79-77-75-231; t3. Karen Lotta (Notre Dame) 81-79-72-232; Jeannine Mondesando (Rutgers) 75-77-80-232; Mikkell Korver (No. Iowa) 77-73-84-234; Stephanie Donkin (Western Michigan) 80-79-75-234; t8. Aimee Fronczak (Ohio University) 77-81-77-235; Jenna Walter (Western Michigan) 84-76-75; t10. Jenny Heinz (No. Iowa) 79-79-78-236; Melissa Holland (Arkansas State) 85-75-76-236.
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 109): t3. Karen Lotta 81-79-72-232; t5. Lauren Gebauer 75-77-82-234; 15. Shannon Byrne 82-77-80-239; t18. Sarah Bassett 78-78-85-241; t20. Katie Brophy 87-78-77-242; t31. Suzie Hayes 85-82-78-245; t41. Rebecca Rogers 83-85-80-248; t47. Lauren Barbir 81-85-83-249; t64. Terri Taibl 84-86-85-255.