Oct. 2, 2012
GOLF, III. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team closed out the final round of competition at the Windy City Collegiate Classic Tuesday afternoon with a 17-over par 305 to finish in seventh place in the 15-team field during the 54-hole event that featured nine ranked opponents. The Irish combined for a 29-over par 893 (294-294-305) total.
Arizona, ranked sixth nationally, won the tournament as the Wildcats shot a 15-over par 979 (293-289-297). The Wildcats held off second-ranked Washington by four strokes as the Huskies finished with a total of 883 (287-293-303).
The two-day tournament was hosted by Northwestern University at the par-72 Glen View Golf Club course. The course measures 6,333 yards and is located in Golf, lll. near the Chicago area.
Northwestern (No. 34) finished third carding a total of 884 (298-294-292) followed by UC Davis (No. 19) in fourth with an 885 (297-293-295) total.
Notre Dame, which started the day in fourth place, finished just two strokes behind No. 22 Iowa State with 891 (296-290-305) and No. 14 Oklahoma St. posting a 891 (298-294-299), who tied for fifth. They dropped three positions on the final day.
The Irish topped three ranked teams including No. 1 Texas Tech (901), No. 50 Wisconsin (905) and No. 32 Ohio State (907).
Freshman Lindsey Weaver (Scottsdale, Ariz.) was the top performer for the Irish as she finished in a tie for second in a field of 81 participants with UC Davis’ Demi Runas. Weaver fired a one-under par 215 (70-71-74).
Weaver and Runas finished one stroke behind champion April McCoy from TCU. McCoy shot a 214 (73-72-69) total. Her final nine hole score of a four-under par 32 was highlighted by four birdies in the final stretch, giving Weaver minimal opportunity to make up any ground in the closing holes to take the top position.
Weaver ranked fourth in par four scoring averaging a four throughout the event and fifth in the par five scoring with a 4.83 average. She also was one of only five golfers to eagle a hole, along with freshman teammate Talia Campbell (Dallas, Texas).
Campbell had a solid outing in her second collegiate tournament for the Irish as she registered two eagles over the course of the three rounds. She led the Irish in par four scoring averaging a 3.93 and in total birdies with eight.
Campbell fired a three-over par total 219 (73-72-74) tying for 10th with Northwestern’s Hana Lee and Manon Gidali from Arizona.
Despite finishing with her worst round of the tournament, Campbell had the best nine-hole total in the final round for Notre Dame with a two-under par 34. She did not fire a single hole over par on the back nine. Campbell finished hole 12 with a birdie and found the cup in four shots on the final par five.
Sophomore Kelli Oride (Lihue, Hawaii) had a rough beginning in the final day firing a double bogey on hole three and picking up two more bogeys on the front-nine par fives.
The persistent Oride would find her rhythm on the back nine paring all but one hole to give her a one-over par 37. Altogether she fired a four-over par 76 on the final day. She combined for an eight-over par 224(76-73-75) and tied for 23rd place with Washington foes Ying Luo (73-73-78) and Charlotte Thomas (76-73-75).
Oride led the field paring 43 holes during the event and was sixth in par three scoring with a 2.92 average.
Junior Kristina Nhim (Cypress, Calif.) concluded the final day firing a nine-over par 81. The junior’s scorecard faired best in round one where she fired a 76. Nhim combined for seven shots over on the back nine par threes that proved to her consistent irritation over the two-day tournament. Overall she carded a 19-over par 235 (76-78-81) tying for 64th place with Kent State’s Erin Hawe (77-82-76).
Even though Nhim penciled in six bogeys and a double bogey on the final day, she did however par seven of 10 par four holes. Nhim ran into trouble on the front nine firing four bogeys in five holes. She would go on to par final nine holes.
“We faced a tough field in this tournament,” says head coach Susan Holt. “I though overall we played very competitive and made some great shots. Golf is an individual sport. We fought hard being down a player and look to do even better the next time out with the return of Ashley.”
The Irish will travel next to Norman, Okla. for the three-day Susie Maxwell Berning Classic at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club, Oct. 15-17.
TOP FIVE TEAMS: 1. Arizona 879 (293-289-297); 2. Washington 883 (287-293-303); 3. Northwestern 884 (298-294-292); 4. UC Davis 885 (297-293-295); T5. Oklahoma State 891 (298-294-299); T5. Iowa State 891 (296-290-305).
TOP FIVE INDIVDUALS: 1. April McCoy (TCU) 214 (73-72-69); T2. Lindsey Weaver (Notre Dame) 215 (70-71-74); T2. Demi Runas (UC Davis) 215 (72-73-70); T4. Nichole Zhang (Northwestern) 216 (76-70-70); P. Phuntumabamrung (Iowa State) 216 (75-68-75); T4. Amy Simanton (UC Davis) 216 (75-68-73).
NOTRE DAME INDIVDUALS: 1. Lindsey Weaver 215 (70-71-74); T10. Talia Campbell 219 (73-72-74) T23. Kelli Oride (224) 75-73-76); T64. Kristina Nhim 235 (76-78-81).
–ND–