Balderston off the tee (file photo)

Balderston Takes Medalist Honors At John Dallio Memorial Invitational

Sept. 28, 2004

WEST CHICAGO, Ill. – Paced by a sizzling second-round 67, junior Tommy Balderston (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews) claimed a two-shot victory at the John Dallio Memorial Invitational, which concluded Tuesday in West Chicago, Ill., at the par-72, 6,968-yard Prairie Landing Golf Club. Balderston finished the three-round event at three-under par 213 (72-67-74) to earn medalist accolades for the first time in his career. His personal-best second-round score also tied for the fourth-lowest in school history and his 54-hole total equalled his lowest career mark, which he set at the 2002 SMU/Stonebridge Invitational.

Sophomore Adam Gifford (Plymouth, Ind./Plymouth) and freshman Eddie Peckels (Pinehurst, N.C./Pope John Paul II (Fla.)) wound up tied for 17th place overall, carding identical scores of six-over par 222. After firing a career-low 75 two weeks ago at the BGSU/John Piper Intercollegiate, Gifford shot rounds of 75, 73 and 74 to post the best three-round score of his career, topping a 230 he shot at the 2004 Bruce Fossum/TaylorMade Invitational. Meanwhile, Peckels turned in a consistent outing in his collegiate debut, registering scores of 74, 73 and 75 for the tournament.

Junior Daniel Klauer (Granger, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) finished in a 37th-place tie at 14-over par 230 (77-77-76), while junior Federico Salazar (Bogota, Colombia/St. Andrews (Fla.)) completed the first tournament of his college career in a tie for 52nd place at 18-over par 234 (75-72-87). Notre Dame sent five golfers to compete at the Dallio Memorial as individual competitors. No team score was kept for the Irish at the event, which was won by Southern Illinois.

Notre Dame will return to action on Oct. 4-5 when it heads to Lake Forest, Ill., for the Windon Memorial Classic, hosted by Northwestern at the Conway Farms Golf Club. Those same two days, some Irish individuals will travel to Muncie, Ind., for the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational, hosted by Ball State.

— ND —

TOP NINE INDIVIDUALS PLUS NOTRE DAME COMPETITORS (of 75): 1. Tommy Balderston (Notre Dame) 213 (72-67-74); 2. Shawn Marshall (Evansville) 215 (66-74-75); 3. Kyle Hosick (Southern Illinois) 216 (73-69-74); 4. Mike Rutgers (Cleveland State) 217 (71-66-80); 5. David Perritt (Saint Louis) 218 (71-69-78); 6. Roger Welch (Southern Illinois) 219 (69-73-77); 7. (tie) Ben Wochner (Eastern Illinois) 220 (71-76-73), Ryan Blechle (Saint Louis) 220 (73-72-75) and Kyler Murphy (Detroit) 220 (70-68-82); 17. (tie) Adam Gifford (Notre Dame) 222 (75-73-74) and Eddie Peckels (Notre Dame) 222 (74-73-75); 37. (tie) Daniel Klauer (Notre Dame) 230 (77-77-76); 52. (tie) Federico Salazar (Notre Dame) 234 (75-72-87).