Feb. 24, 2015
VALENCIA, Calif. – The University of Notre Dame men’s golf team capped its opening tournament of 2015 with a final round team score of 305, finishing in 14th place on Tuesday at the Jones Invitational at the Valencia Country Club. The Irish posted a three-round team score of 907 (295-307-305) during the event.
Southern California completed the wire-to-wire victory by closing as the only team in red numbers following a third round three-under-par 285. The Trojans claimed the team championship by 16 strokes at 850 (277-288-285). Kennesaw State finished as the event runner-up at 866 (282-289-295), with Northwestern (288-290-292=870) in third place and Sam Houston State (289-294-294) and BYU (289-294-294) rounding out the top five at 877.
Notre Dame’s two team eagles were tied for second among all teams over 54 holes, while the 159 collective Irish pars were the third-most in the field.
Sophomore Blake Barens posted the top Notre Dame finish at the event, notching a birdie at the par 5 ninth hole as part of a third round four-over-par 76. Barens tied for 45th place overall at 226 (74-76-76).
Senior Patrick Grahek rolled in birdies at the fifth, eighth and 10th holes in his final round on Tuesday, but seven over par holes bookended a six-over-par 78. Grahek shared 48th place with a two-day score of 227 (72-77-78).
Three birdies for Liam Cox paced the Notre Dame sophomore in his top round of the weekend to close the Jones Invitational with a four-over-par 76. Cox shared 59th place with a tournament total of 230 (77-77-76).
Senior Tyler Wingo (74-77-81) and sophomore Matthew Ruston (75-82-75) tied for 66th place at 232. Rushton was tied for the field lead with two eagles during the tournament, notching a three at the par 5 ninth hole in both the first and third rounds at the Valencia Country Club.
Notre Dame resumes its 2015 season on March 9-10 at the Lamkin San Diego Classic in San Diego, California.
Jones Invitational-Valencia Country Club-Par-72, 7,019 Yds.
TEAMS (FINAL): 1. Southern California 277-288-285=850, -14; 2. Kennesaw State 282-289-295=866, +2; 3. Northwestern 288-290-292=870, +6; T4. Sam Houston State 289-294-294=877, +13; T4. BYU 289-294-294=877, +13; 6. Pepperdine 297-287-295=879, +15; 7. Winthrop 289-285-306=880, +16; 8. Lipscomb 304-291-290=885, +21; 9. San Diego 295-297-295=887, +23; 10. UC Irvine 299-287-304=890, +26; 11. Fresno State 301-289-303=893, +29; 12. Georgia State 289-305-302=896, +32; 13. Pacific 303-299-299=901, +37; 14. Notre Dame 295-307-305=907, +43; 15. South Carolina Upstate 304-306-309=919, +55.
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (FINAL): T45. Blake Barens 74-76-76=226, +10; T48. Patrick Grahek 72-77-78=227, +11; T59. Liam Cox 77-77-76=230, +14; T66. Tyler Wingo 74-77-81=232, +16; T66. Matthew Rushton 75-82-75=232, +16.