Oct. 19, 2016
By Leigh Torbin
BEALLSVILLE, Md. — Notre Dame’s men’s golf team turned in one of its most dominating performances in school history, claiming a 12-stroke team victory at the Georgetown Intercollegiate, being held at the par-71, 7,102-yard The Members Club at Four Streams in Beallsville, Maryland.
The Irish finished the event at a six-under-par 846, well clear of the second place Hoyas at 858 (+6) and a third-place tie between DePaul and Rhode Island at 861 (+9). It is the first time the Irish have claimed a solo team victory at an event with at least eight teams since they win the 2012 BIG EAST Championship.
Player of the Day
Ben Albin became the second Irish golfer to claim an individual medalist title in as many weeks, coming just seven days after Blake Barens was the top finisher at the Fighting Irish Gridiron Golf Classic. This marks the first time since the fall of 1990 that the Irish have seen players claim medalist honors in consecutive events.
Albin’s final-round 68 left him in the 60s for all three rounds (the only golfer to accomplish this feat at Georgetown) and with a 54-hole score of 202 (-11). Sam Madsen of Georgetown was his closest competitor, finishing two strokes higher at 204.
Notre Dame’s Lineup
The Irish had six players competing in Maryland as Thomas Steve played as an individual in addition to the five scoring Irish golfers. Five of Notre Dame’s six golfers carded at least one under-par round in the event and four of the six shot at least one round in the 60s.
1. Ben Albin (66-68-68=202, -11)
T5. Blake Barens (71-69-71=211, -2)
T21. Miguel Delgado (74-70-75, 219, +6)
T21. Matthew Rushton (76-69-75=219, +6)
T35. Davis Lamb (73-77-73=223, +10)
T14. Thomas Steve (74-69-73=216, +3)
* Competing as an individual
Coach Kubinski Says
“This was a good team win this week, with all five of our starters contributing solid scores at different times. There were some tougher hole locations today. Posting 286 was a nice score, especially going out with the lead.
“I’m happy we put a tough loss last week, a one shot runner-up finish, behind us and exhibited a very positive and confident mindset this week. This has been a productive couple of weeks, posting 24 wins against one loss, as we work toward our team goals for the season.
“Seeing Ben earn his first win was a great thrill. He played beautiful golf all three rounds, making 5 or 6 birdies per round on average. He gave himself lots of opportunities and worked to stay patient on the inevitable tough break or two every golfer encounters. I thought his biggest asset this week was his ability to bounce back after a bogey. It’s a critical skill to develop and one he continues to improve.
“Having back to back individual champions, different players each time, these last couple of tournaments is somewhat unusual in college golf. It shows the work our players are putting in and their great commitment to developing as players. I’m sure it will inspire our entire roster.”
Next Up
The Irish will compete once more this fall, heading to Vero Beach, Florida for the Quail Valley Collegiate Invitational, Oct. 24-25.
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Leigh Torbin, athletics communications associate director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2013 and coordinates all media efforts for Notre Dame’s women’s basketball and men’s golf teams. A native of Framingham, Massachusetts, Torbin graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in sports management. He has previously worked full-time on the athletic communications staffs at Vanderbilt, Florida, Connecticut and UCF.