April 23, 2005
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – It was a battle versus the elements at the first round of the BIG EAST Championship on Saturday as the Notre Dame women’s golf team fired a 338 (+50) to currently reside in third place heading into the final day of play. St. John’s leads the four-team field after carding a 329 (+41) in windy, rainy and snowy conditions at the par 72, 6,003-yard Warren Golf Course. Senior Karen Lotta (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount) shot a five-over par 77 and is tied with Georgetown’s Connie Isler for the individual lead. Due to inclement weather Saturday’s first day of play was reduced from 36 to 18 holes.
The Georgetown Hoyas shot a 336 (+48) and are in second place, while the Boston College Eagles round out the field with a 353 (+65). With the tournament being reduced to 36-holes, it leaves the Irish with a smaller margin for error as they are in pursuit of their third straight BIG EAST title.
Notre Dame sophomore Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, Ill./Hoffman Estates) is in a three-way tie for sixth after tallying a 13-over par 85. Junior co-captain Suzie Hayes (Dublin, Ireland/Loreto College) and freshman Jane Lee (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif./Peninsula) are both tied for 12th after carding 16-over par 88s.
Two-time BIG EAST member Katie Brophy (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep), a junior co-captain, struggled throughout the day and as a result posted an uncharacteristically high total of 90 (+18) to currently place in 16th.
Lotta is aiming for her third all-BIG EAST honor, while Nakazaki and Hayes are gunning for their second all-conference finish. The Irish hope to use their experience and capabilities on Sunday to mount a surge toward the title.
Sunday’s second and final round of play will get underway with tee times at 8:00 a.m. (CDT). Live scoring and full results of play are available at golfstat.com. For additional information please log onto und.com or call the Notre Dame athletics hotline at 574-631-3000.
BIG EAST Championship (Warren Golf Course – Notre Dame, Indiana, Par 72, 6,003-yards)
TEAM STANDINGS (18-hole totals):
1. St. John’s 329, 2. Georgetown 336, 3. Notre Dame 338, 4. Boston College 353.
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS (top 5 of 20 plus Notre Dame individuals):
1t. Connie Isler (Georgetown) 77, 1t. Karen Lotta (Notre Dame) 77, 3. Christin Thomson (St. John’s) 78, 4. Jaclyn Sanders (St. John’s) 81, 5. Nicole Hayashi (Georgetown) 84, 6t. Noriko Nakazaki (Notre Dame) 85, 12t. Suzie Hayes (Notre Dame) 88, 12t. Jane Lee (Notre Dame) 88, 16. Katie Brophy (Notre Dame) 90.
–ND–