March 21, 2013
Notre Dame, Ind. – University of Notre Dame sophomore Ashley Armstrong (Flossmoor, Ill.) has been named the BIG EAST Women’s Golf Player of the Week for the week of March 11-17, the conference office announced Thursday afternoon.
Armstrong was selected for the honor after winning the 54-hole Insperity Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate Tournament in Augusta, Ga., on the Forest Hills Golf Club’s par 72 (6,214 yards) course March 15-17, turning in her scorecard with a one-under-par -215 (76-69-70).
Armstrong steadily climbed the leaderboard of 99 competitors throughout the three-day tournament. She began the second day of competition tied for 21st and began the final round tied for fourth.
Armstrong `s second round total of a three-under-par 69 was her second best round of her young career. Armstrong did not surrender a single bogey in the second round and fired even par or better on 34 of the final 36 holes. She capped off her final round with either a par or birdie on the final 11 holes and totaled four birdies to hold her first-place position on the final day.
Armstrong edged out last year’s champion and this year’s runner-up No. 39 Paula Reto from Purdue by two stokes (80-69-68).
Armstrong’s achieved her best tournament score of her career with her effort. Prior to last weekend’s finish, Armstrong shot her best tournament score last April at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic with an even-par 216.
During the weekend, she defeated 11 top-100 ranked opponents and four top-50 nationally ranked foes.
Armstrong becomes just the fourth golfer in program history to win two or more career tournaments as she previously earned medalist honors at the 2012 BIG EAST Championship (73-77-73-223).
The sophomore becomes the third Irish golfer in 2012-13 to finish a tournament under par, joining sophomore Kelli Oride with one and Lindsey Weaver, who has three.
Armstrong’s performance led the Irish back to the nation’s top-25 list (golfstat.com) as Notre Dame ranks No. 23 going into next week’s Briar Creek Invitational in Charleston, S.C., March 25-26.
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