Oct. 23, 2012
BEALLSVILLE, Md. – The University of Notre Dame men’s golf team ended its fall season on a high note, claiming a runner-up finish Tuesday at the 28th annual Georgetown Intercollegiate at the Members Club at Four Streams.
“I’m very pleased with our fall,” Notre Dame head coach Jim Kubinski said. “We improved each time out, that was our goal. The boys worked hard and kept getting better. We’re very excited for the spring.”
The Fighting Irish carded a final round five-over par, 289 (290-286-289-865, +13) to finish two strokes behind the University of Toledo (290-285-288-863, +11). Notre Dame closed its fall slate with a 30-19-0 head-to-head record against its tournament opponents.
“It’s always tough to lose out in a close one, but I’m proud of the way our guys competed today,” Kubinski said. “Our entire starting five was right there throughout.”
Senior Paul McNamara III (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.) fired a final round one-over 72 to tie for sixth place (71-71-72-214, +1) and pace the Notre Dame lineup. McNamara and Eastern Michigan’s Brian Churchill-Smith led the entire tournament field with 14 birdies during the event.
“Paul did a fantastic job each round battling back from three or four-over par early to post 71 or 72,” Kubinski said. “He knew he needed to birdie 18 today for us to have a chance to win, and he did. He has grown so much the last couple of years.”
Junior Andrew Lane (Fairport, N.Y.) played the course in a season-best 71 strokes (even-par) to claim a share of 11th place, the best finish of his Notre Dame career (72-74-71-217, +4).
“Andrew posted his low round of the fall in a clutch round,” Kubinski said. “He was so steady during the fall tournaments, I look for him to break out during the spring.”
Sophomore Tyler Wingo (Fairfax, Va.) ended his autumn run with a two-over par, 73 to join Lane in a tie for 11th place at 217 (74-70-73, +4).
“I’m really pleased with Tyler’s development,” Kubinski said. “He is playing solid golf, and looks very comfortable now.”
Toledo’s Chris Selfridge earned medalist honors to complete the awards sweep for the Rockets, logging a two-under par final round (69-70-69-208, -5) to win by one stroke over day one leader Churchill-Smith (69-69-71-209, -4). William & Mary’s Jeremy Wells (69-72-70-211, -2) took solo third place, while West Florida’s Juan Miguel Heredia (70-72-70-212, -1) claimed fourth. Toledo’s Otto Black (75-69-69-213, E) rounded out the top-five.
“Today came down to a couple ups and downs at the end,” Kubinski said. “Toledo made them, including a phenomenal birdie from a hillside lie 60 yards out. That was the difference.
“Still, we did enough positive things to feel very good about who we can be as a team.”
Georgetown Intercollegiate-Members Club at Four Streams-Par-71, 6,953 Yds.
TOP-FIVE TEAMS (Final): 1. Toledo 290-285-288-863, +11; 2. Notre Dame 290-286-289-865, +13; 3. Penn State 297-286-288-871, +19; 4. Xavier 291-297-284-872, +20; 5. Michigan State 300-280-298-878, +26.
TOP-FIVE INDIVIDUALS (Final): 1. Chris Selfridge (Toledo) 69-70-69-208, -5; 2. Brian Churchill-Smith (Eastern Michigan) 69-69-71-209, -4; 3. Jeremy Wells (William & Mary) 69-72-70-211, -2; 4. Juan Miguel Heredia (West Florida) 70-72-70-212, -1; 5. Otto Black (Toledo) 75-69-69-213, E.
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (Final): T6. Paul McNamara III 71-71-72-214, +1; T11. Andrew Lane 72-74-71-217, +4; T11. Tyler Wingo 74-70-73-217, +4; T15. Niall Platt 73-71-74-218, +5; T33. Andrew Carreon 74-77-73-224, +11; *T42. Peyton Vitter 77-75-74-226, +13.
*Competed Unattached
–ND–