Feb. 9, 2004
CYPRESS, Texas – The Notre Dame men’s golf team used a sizzling afternoon round to move squarely into contention at the 14-team Rice Intercollegiate Monday afternoon, placing fifth after 36 holes at the par-72, 7,301-yard Blackhorse North Golf Club in Cypress, Texas. Led by sophomore Tommy Balderston (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews HS) who tied his career low with a four-under par 68, the Irish shot a one-over 289 in the second round, the best team score of the tournament, and sit 13 strokes back of tourney leader Denver at 597.
Balderston’s second-round score also was the best individual score of the tournament and it matched the 68 he posted in the opening round of the SMU/Stonebridge Invitational on his last visit to the state of Texas in October. The all-BIG EAST Conference pick is tied for 11th with a 36-hole score of 146 (78-68). Meanwhile, Notre Dame freshman Cole Isban (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian HS) leads all Irish players, tying for sixth place after two rounds with a one-over par 145 (75-70). Dating back to last fall, Isban has shot 73 or lower in 11 of his last 15 rounds.
Sophomore Scott Gustafson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) is tied for 33rd place at 152 (76-76), while classmate Mark Baldwin (Laconia, N.H./New Hampton Prep) is tied for 46th place at 154 (79-75). Freshman Shane Sigsbee (McKinney, Texas/McKinney HS), making his second visit to his home state in his young career, struggled a bit and is tied for 71st place at 162 (81-81).
In addition, Notre Dame has three players competing as individuals whose scores do not count towards the Irish team total. Sophomore Daniel Klauer (Granger, Ind./Mishawaka Marian HS) is tied with Baldwin for 46th place at 146 (79-75), tying his personal best round in the afternoon circuit. Sophomore Eric Deutsch (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes HS) is tied for 66th place at 160 (80-80), while senior captain Gavin Ferlic (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian HS) is in 77th place at 168 (82-86).
Notre Dame will look to close the gap on the tournament leaders when it returns to the links for the final round of the Rice Intercollegiate Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. (CST). Final results will be available on www.und.com upon completion of the tournament.
– ND –
TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals): 1. Denver 584 (290-294); 2. Texas-San Antonio 588 (298-290); 3. North Texas 593 (302-291); 4. Texas State 594 (298-296); 5. NOTRE DAME 597 (308-289); 6. (tie) Mississippi State 598 (305-293) and Louisiana-Lafayette 598 (303-295); 8. (tie) San Diego 603 (305-298) and Stephen F. Austin 603 (309-294); 10. Virginia 604 (301-303); 11. Sam Houston State 605 (312-293); 12. Texas-Arlington 609 (310-299); 13. Rice 612 (309-303); 14. Texas-Pan American 631 (312-319).
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 78): 1. James Love (Denver) 139 (70-69); 2. (tie) Rudy Celedon (UTPA) 143 (72-71), Brad Gibson (North Texas) 143 (73-70) and Barrett Jarosch (Denver) 143 (71-72); 5. Mike Mezei (UTSA) 144 (72-72); 6. (tie) Cole Isban (Notre Dame) 145 (75-70), Jimmy Harris (San Diego) 145 (75-70), Kevin Messer (Texas State) 145 (74-71) and D. Robert Jefferson (Sam Houston State) 145 (72-73).
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 78): 6. (tie) Cole Isban 145 (75-70); 11. (tie) Tommy Balderston 146 (78-68); 33. (tie) Scott Gustafson 152 (76-76); 46. (tie) Mark Baldwin 154 (79-75) and Daniel Klauer 154* (79-75); 66. (tie) Eric Deutsch 160* (80-80); 71 (tie) Shane Sigsbee 162 (81-81); 77. Gavin Ferlic 168* (82-86).
* – competing as individual; score was not applied toward team score