Feb. 21, 2006
PARRISH, Fla. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team entered the final round of play at the Central District Classic on Tuesday in 11th-place and that is where they would finish the tournament following a round of 309 (+21) at the par 72, 6,099-yard River Wilderness Golf Club. The Fighting Irish posted a three-round total of 932 (305-318-309) at the tournament, which was their first event of the spring season. Senior co-captain Suzie Hayes (Dublin, Ireland/Loreto College) led the Irish with a collegiate career-best 54-hole total of 225 (73-77-75) to place in a tie for ninth overall.
Baylor increased its lead over the 14-team field on Tuesday by firing a tournament-best round of 296 (+8) to claim the win with a three-round total of 896 (+32). The Bears were the only team to shoot below 900 for the two-day event as Ohio State took second with a 907 and SMU was close behind in third with a 908.
Lacey Jones from SMU began the day in second-place, yet matched a tournament-best round with a two-under par 70 to take medalist honors with a one-under par 215 (72-73-70).
Hayes started play on Tuesday tied for ninth and that is exactly where she concluded play after posting a three-over par 75. It marked Hayes’ first-ever team-leading effort at Notre Dame and the third top-10 finish of her collegiate career. However, this was the largest field in which she has placed in the top-10.
“I just think Suzie got a really big monkey off of her back with this performance,” stated Irish head coach Debby King following the tournament. “This was a breakthrough for her. It’s a really nice story because she’s a second semester senior. I know she would have liked to have it before now, but this should give her some confidence.”
Irish teammates Lauren Gebauer (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, Ill./Hoffman Estates) each carded three-round totals of 234 (+18) to finish tied for 36th overall. Gebauer, a senior, shot her best round of the tournament on Tuesday as she carded a four-over par 76, while the junior Nakazaki posted an 80 on the day.
Notre Dame freshman Lisa Maunu (St. Thomas, Ontario/Parkside Collegiate Institute) registered an 83 during the third round to bring her two-day total to 245. Senior co-captain Katie Brophy (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep) carded her best round of the event on Tuesday with a six-over par 78 and finished the tournament with a 247.
The Fighting Irish will have a few weeks off before heading to the “Mo” Morial tournament in Bryan, Texas. The event, which is hosted by Texas A&M University, will be held March 10-12 at The Traditions Club.
“We just played inconsistent golf,” said King. “The weather was perfect and we weren’t having swing flaws. We just need to fine tune our short game. I think our heads our good after this tournament, we just need to get back in the flow of playing competitive golf.”
For additional information on the Irish women’s golf team, please log on to und.com or call the Notre Dame athletics hotline at (574) 631-3000.
Central District Classic (River Wilderness Golf Club – Parrish, Fla., Par 72, 6,099-yards)
Final Team Scores (54-hole totals): 1. Baylor 896 (302-298-296), 2. Ohio State 907 (301-308-298), 3. SMU 908 (298-311-299), 4. Nebraska 914 (307-303-304), 5. Missouri 915 (306-303-306), 6. LSU 921 (304-309-308), 7. Kansas 922 (307-309-306), 8. Michigan State 923 (309-312-302), 9t. Michigan 925 (308-311-306), 9t. Northwestern 925 (300-310-315), 11. Notre Dame 932 (305-318-309), 12. Illinois State 935 (304-324-307), 13. Kansas State 937 (315-309-313), 14. Texas Tech 952 (327-312-313).
Top-7 Golfers (54-hole totals): 1. Lacey Jones (SMU) 215 (72-73-70), 2. Stephanie Ruiz (Nebraska) 219 (73-75-71), 3. Meredith Jones (Baylor) 221 (76-72-73), 4. Samantha Richdale (Illinois State) 222 (70-78-74), 5t. Melissa Eaton (LSU) 223 (74-76-73), 5t. Alice Kim (Northwestern) 223 (70-74-79), 5t. Chelsey Pryor (Kansas) 223 (74-75-74).
Notre Dame Scores (54-hole totals): 9t. Suzie Hayes 225 (73-77-75), 36t. Lauren Gebauer 234 (79-79-76), 36t. Noriko Nakazaki 234 (75-79-80), 67. Lisa Maunu 245 (78-84-83), 68t. Katie Brophy 247 (86-83-78).
— ND —