March 10, 2012
Baton Rouge, La. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team moved up to 12th after 36 holes on Saturday as the Irish fired a 22-over par 310 for a two-day total of 628 at the LSU Tiger Classic. The tournament is being played at the par-72 on the 6,350-yard University Club of Baton Rouge, the home of the LSU men and women’s golf teams.
Leading the tournament after 36 holes is Tennessee and the host school LSU, as both check in with 11-over par marks of 587. Tied for third are North Carolina and Vanderbilt as those two schools trail the leaders by 14 strokes heading into Sunday’s final round. The Tar Heels and Commodores have two-day totals of 601. Rounding out the top five is Virginia as the Cavaliers posted back-to-back rounds of 304 for a 608 total.
Notre Dame was led on the day by freshman Ashley Armstrong (Flossmoor, Ill.) who had a two-over par 74 for a 36-hole total of 151. That has her tied for 18th, nine strokes behind tourney leader Madelene Sagstrom of LSU who has shot a pair of 71s for a two-under 142.
Senior Becca Huffer (Denver, Colo.) followed her opening round 76 with a 77 on Saturday for an 11-over par 153. That puts the Irish captain in a tie for 26th.
Sophomore Kristina Nhim (Cypress, Fla.) bounced back from an opening round 81 with a three-over par 75, giving her a two-day total of 12-over par 156. She will enter Sunday’s final round tied for 41st.
Rounding out the Irish contingent at LSU was freshman Kelli Oride (Lihue, Hawaii) who is tied for 73rd after a pair of 84s that give her a 168 mark.
Senior Katie Allare (Phoenix, Ariz.) is 78th with a 36-hole total of 175.
The tournament has just three golfers under par led by Sagstrom’s 142. She is followed by North Carolina’s Catherine O’Donnell who is one stroke back with rounds of 72-71 for her 143. Vanderbilt’s Lauren Stratton is at even par 144 while first-round leader Marina Alex is tied for fourth with a 145 along with Tennessee’s Erica Popson who had the low round of the day with a 70 on her way to a 145.
The final round of the LSU Tiger Classic will start at 8:30 a.m. (CT) with a shotgun start.
TEAM RESULTS (18-hole totals): t1. LSU 295-292-587; Tennessee 298-289-587; t3. North Carolina 301-300-601; Vanderbilt 302-299-601; 5. Virginia 304-304-608; 6. Kentucky 311-303-614; 7. TCU 306-314-620; 8. Louisville 314-308-622; 9. Purdue 311-312-623; 10. North Carolina State 308-318-626, 11. UNC-Wilmington 315-311-626; 12. Notre Dame 318-310-628; 13. College of Charleston 322-307-629; 14. Louisiana Monroe 317-313-630.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 78): 1. Madeline Sagstrom (LSU) 71-71-142; 2. Catherine O’Donnell (North Carolina) 72-71-143; 3. Lauren Stratton (Vanderbilt) 72-72-144; t4. Marina Alex (Vanderbilt) 70-75-145; Erica Popson 75-70-145; t6. Austin Ernst (LSU) 73-73-146; Sara Monberg (Tennessee) 73-73-146; t8. Laura Gonzalez (Purdue) 74-75-149; Lauren Greenlief (Virginia) 72-77-149; Betsie Johnson (Kentucky) 78-71-149; Nathalie Manson (Tennessee) 76-73-149.
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 78): t18. Ashley Armstrong 77-74-151; t26. Becca Huffer; 76-77-153; t41 Kristina Nhim, 81-75-156; 74; t73. Kelli Oride, 84-84-168; 78. Katie Allare, 90-85-175.