Sept. 18, 2005
Gopher Invitational Final Results in PDF Format
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WAYZATA, Minn. — Using a healthy blend of experience and determination, the Notre Dame men’s golf team fired a one-under par 287 in Sunday’s final round and rose up to grab fifth-place honors at the 12-team Gopher Invitational, which was contested in Wayzata, Minn., at the Spring Hill Golf Club (par 72/7,020 yards). The Irish showed exceptional improvement throughout their season-opening tournament, carding a 29-over par 893 (309-297-287) to register their fifth top-five finish in the past eight events, all coming since the arrival of second-year head coach Jim Kubinski back in January.
Notre Dame’s third-round 287 was one of only three under-par scores posted in the entire tournament, with Washington, the third-place finisher at last year’s NCAA Championships, also shooting a 287 on Sunday, and host Minnesota compiling a 284 in Saturday’s second round. UM and Washington ended the tourney tied for first at 19-over par 883, but the Gophers won the title on a tiebreaker with a better score from their fifth golfer (UW’s No. 5 man was disqualified when he failed to sign his scorecard after the second round).
A total of six teams competing at the Gopher Invitational were ranked in the final 2004-05 Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA)/Bridgestone Coaches Top 25 Poll and the Irish finished ahead of three of those squads — No. 13 Georgia Southern, No. 18 Stanford and No. 22 SMU — while trailing two others by a mere three strokes (No. 13 Georgia State and No. 23 Purdue).
Senior Scott Gustafson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) capped off an impressive return to his home state by tying for sixth place at two-over 218 (73-73-72), three shots back of tournament medalist Niall Turner of Minnesota. It was Gustafson’s best finish since a third-place showing at the 2003 SMU/Stonebridge Invitational, and his lowest 54-hole score since firing a 216 at the 2004 USC/Cleveland Golf Classic. In addition, it was the sixth top-10 finish of Gustafson’s career.
Senior Mark Baldwin (Laconia, N.H./New Hampton Prep) finished one shot behind his teammate in a 10th-place tie at three-over par 219 (76-72-71), marking his fifth career top-10 placement and fourth in the past year. The strong performances by Gustafson and Baldwin also gave Notre Dame two golfers in the top 10 of a full tournament (10+ teams) for the first time since the 2004 Rice Intercollegiate, when Tommy Balderston (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews) and Cole Isban (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) were fourth and eighth, respectively.
Speaking of Isban, the Irish junior turned in Notre Dame’s best individual score on Sunday, carding a 70 (-2) to tie for 22nd place at eight-over par 224 (80-74-70). Isban’s final-round 70 was earmarked by five birdies and was marred only by a pair of late bogies that slightly blemished his scorecard. Meanwhile, senior Eric Deutsch (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes) ended up tied for 42nd place at 17-over par 233 (81-78-74), and sophomore Mike King (Sidney, Ohio/Sidney) closed out his weekend in a 58th-place tie at 26-over par 242 (80-81-81).
Notre Dame will next see action beginning one week from Monday, Sept. 26, when it tees off at the Shoal Creek Intercollegiate, hosted by UAB at the Shoal Creek Golf Club in Birmingham, Ala. Among the teams participating in that event will be perennial power Florida, as well as 2005 NCAA Championship participants Georgia State and Tennessee.
— ND —
FINAL TEAM RESULTS (54-hole totals): 1. (tie) Minnesota* 883 (301-284-298) and Washington 883 (302-294-287); 3. (tie) Purdue 890 (302-294-294) and Georgia State 890 (300-299-291); 5. NOTRE DAME 893 (309-297-287); 6. Indiana 902 (301-304-297); 7. Georgia Southern 905 (299-312-294); 8. Stanford 907 (303-301-303); 9. Memphis 910 (305-299-306); 10. SMU 914 (306-305-303); 11. UNC Wilmington 946 (322-300-324); –. UAB (DQ-313-DNF).
* – won tournament title on tiebreaker (better score by fifth golfer)
TOP FIVE INDIVIDUALS PLUS NOTRE DAME GOLFERS (of 66): 1. Niall Turner (Minnesota) 215 (73-70-72); 2. (tie) Mark Haastrup (Georgia State) 216 (73-74-69), Josh Persons* (Minnesota) 216 (73-70-73) and Alex Prugh (Washington) 216 (73-72-71); 5. Steve Tiley (Georgia State) 217 (73-73-71); 6. (tie) Scott Gustafson (Notre Dame) 218 (73-73-72); 10. (tie) Mark Baldwin (Notre Dame) 219 (76-72-71); 22. (tie) Cole Isban (Notre Dame) 224 (80-74-70); 42. (tie) Eric Deutsch (Notre Dame) 233 (81-78-74); 58. (tie) Mike King (Notre Dame) 242 (80-81-81).
* – competing as an individual; score not counted towards team total