Oct. 9, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s golf team logged a tournament-best team total of six-over par 290 to earn an eighth place finish Tuesday in the final round of the Fighting Irish Gridiron Golf Classic at the Warren Golf Course.
The Fighting Irish shot a three-day total of 300-295-290 (885), edging Toledo by one shot (294-298-294-886, +34). Notre Dame’s 10-shot improvement from the first round to the final round was the best among the 12-team field.
Junior Niall Platt (Santa Barbara, Calif.) birdied two of the three par-5’s on the course, carding a one-under par 70 to lead the Fighting Irish lineup.
Senior Paul McNamara III (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.) capped a solid weekend with a one-over, 72 to claim a share of 15th place (71-76-72-219). McNamara logged three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the front nine to spark his round.
Junior Andrew Carreon (San Antonio, Texas) finished his first start of the season with a third straight 73 (219), joining McNamara in a tie for 15th place in the individual draw. Carreon’s six-over par total was second among all unattached players, behind only UT Arlington’s Brad Mason (77-69-72-219, +5).
Junior Andrew Lane (Fairport, N.Y.) was the third and final Notre Dame player in the tournament’s top-30, logging a three-day total of 75-73-73 (221) to tie for 26th place.
Michigan State (287-282-300-869) fought off a furious rally from No. 38 Houston (287-292-291-870) and UNC Wilmington (296-280-294-870) to win the tournament by one shot at +17. San Francisco took home fourth place with a 292-285-295-872 finish, and UT Arlington rounded out the top-five at 876 (288-300-288).
UNC Wilmington’s Thomas Bass earned medalist honors at -2, 211 (71-68-72). Bass’ two-under total was the second-best score in relation to par (Ryan Brehm, Michigan State 2007, -5) in the seven-year history of the event. UT Arlington’s Hunter Brown (71-71-71-213) and UNC Wilmington’s Payne McLeod (75-70-68-213) shared runner-up honors.
Notre Dame will send select golfers to compete at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational Oct. 15-16 at the Delaware Country Club in Muncie, Ind.
–ND–