Sept. 12, 2004
Ann Arbor, Mich. – The University of Michigan captured the Lady Northern Invitational title by four strokes over Big Ten Conference-rival Ohio State on Sunday, Sept. 12. The Wolverines, a co-leader along with Missouri heading into today’s final 18-holes of play, posted a 17-over par three-round total of 881 at the par 72, 5,966-yard University of Michigan Golf Course. Notre Dame carded a 57-over par 921 for the tournament, which placed them in a tie for eighth overall. Missouri’s Maria Ohlsson finished with a two-under par 214 to win the individual title by five strokes over teammate Denise Knaebel and Michigan’s Laura Olin.
Notre Dame juniors Katie Brophy (Spokane, WA/Gonzaga Prep) and Lauren Gebauer (Columbus, OH/Upper Arlington) were the top Irish finishers as they each carded an 11-over par 227 for the tournament to finish as part of a five-way tie for 17th-place. Brophy’s three-under par 69 in round two on Saturday was the low-round for her team in the invitational and the second-lowest round overall.
Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, IL/Hoffman Estates), an Irish sophomore, fired a 229 on the weekend to place in a tie for 26th. Nakazaki and Gebauer were the only golfers on the squad to score in the 70’s for all three rounds of play. Notre Dame’s Karen Lotta (Los Angeles, CA/Marymount) carded a 241, while freshman Jane Lee (Palos Verdes Estates, CA/Peninsula) was three strokes back with a 244. Stacy Brown (The Woodlands, TX/The Woodlands) fired a 247 in her first scoring tournament of the season.
Ohio State was unable to slice into Michigan’s lead as they both shot a 296 on the day. Missouri fell back to third in the standings as the Tigers fired a 301. Two more Big Ten schools rounded out the top-five as Michigan State placed fourth and Purdue was seven-shots back in fifth. The Lady Northern was the preview for the 2004 Big Ten Women’s Golf Championship. The 15-team field included all 11 conference members.
Ohlsson was never threatened in the individual standings as she fired a one-over par 73 during the final round of play. The senior carded a course and school record six-under par 66 in Saturday’s second round. Ohlsson and Brophy were the only golfers to shoot a sub-70 round during the 36-holes of play.
The Irish return to the course in two weeks as they will take part in the NCAA central regional preview tournament in Lubbock, Texas. The Jeannine McHaney Invitational, which is hosted by Texas Tech University, will take place Sept. 24-26 at the Jerry S. Rawls Golf Course. Log onto www.und.com or call the Notre Dame athletics hotline at (574) 631-3000 to keep track of the Irish women’s golf team during their 2004-05 campaign.
Team Scores (Final 54-hole results): 1. Michigan (294-291-296=881, +17), 2. Ohio State (290-299-296=885, +21), 3. Missouri (298-287-301=886, +22), 4. Michigan State (305-291-303=899, +35), 5. Purdue (303-294-309=906, +42), 6. Kent State (308-303-303=914, +50), 7. Oklahoma (300-306-314=920, +56), 8t. Northwestern (302-303-316=921, +57), 8t. Notre Dame (309-298-314=921, +57), 10. Wisconsin (319-305-318=942, +78), 11. Penn State (310-316-320=946, +82), 12. Minnesota (310-316-324=950, +86), 13. Iowa (326-310-321=957, +93), 14. Indiana (324-327-332=969, +105), 15. Illinois (327-317-332=976, +112).
Top 10 Golfers (Final 54-hole results): 1. Maria Ohlsson (Missouri, 75-66-73=214, -2), 2t. Denise Knaebel (Missouri, 73-72-74=219, +3), 2t. Laura Olin (Michigan, 71-74-74=219, +3), 4. Myrte Eikenaar (Purdue, 72-72-76=220, +4), 5. Ali Stinson (Michigan, 73-74-74=221, +5), 6t. Jennifer Selfringer (Ohio State, 75-74-73=222, +6), 6t. Kristen White (Ohio State, 71-75-76=222, +6), 8t. Brianna Broderick (Michigan, 76-71-76=223, +7), 8t. Mindy Bullard (Missouri, 73-73-77=223, +7), 10. Mandi McConnell (Michigan State, 73-77-74=224, +8).
— ND –