March 17, 2013
STATESBORO, Ga. – The University of Notre Dame men’s golf team shot its best round of the season-opening E-Z-GO Schenkel Invitational Sunday, logging an eight-over par 296 in round three at Forest Heights Country Club.
Notre Dame shaved 11 strokes off its team score on the tournament’s final day, the best final round swing among the 15 teams in the field. The Irish registered a three-day score of 900 (297-307-296).
Paul McNamara III closed his weekend surge with a 71 (-1) on Sunday, finishing his final 38 holes of the tournament in one-under par. McNamara’s 12 total birdies were three off the tournament lead (15), and helped secure the Irish senior a tie for 22nd place (77-72-71, 220).
Junior Niall Platt recorded pars on seven of his final nine holes to complete a one-over par 73 and join McNamara in a share of 22nd place (72-75-73, 220). Platt navigated the four par 5’s at Forest Heights Country Club in two-under par for the weekend, and was minus one during his final round, birdieing the 564-yard 18th hole. Platt tied North Florida’s Kevin Phelan for second place in total pars (37) during the 54-hole event.
Junior Andrew Lane came in at one-over par, 37 in his final nine holes to tie for 54th place at 227 (74-78-75). Sophomores Tyler Wingo (235, T78) and Peyton Vitter (248, 84) rounded out the scoring for the Notre Dame starting five.
In his first career regular season start, freshman Cory Sciupider tied for 57th place as an individual competitor, logging a three-day score of 228 (76-73-79).
No. 4 Alabama claimed the team title with a third round 285 (-3) to win by 10 strokes. The Crimson Tide (282-281-285, 848) outpointed first round leader No. 6 Texas (280-285-293, 858) by 12 shots during the final two days to repeat as E-Z-GO Schenkel Invitational champions. No. 16 North Florida shot a five-under 283 in round three to earn third place (294-291-283, 868), while No. 8 Florida (285-296-292, 873) and No. 41 UCF (291-294-292, 877) also posted top-five finishes.
No. 15 Justin Thomas (Alabama) shot his second consecutive two-under par, 70 to cap a wire-to-wire victory as the tournament’s individual medalist (67-70-70, 207). No. 8 Brandon Stone of Texas shot a final round 69 (-3) to claim runner-up honors at 210 (68-73-69). A five-under par 67 by North Florida’s Sean Dale (71-73-67, 211) clinched a share of third place with No. 34 Bobby Wyatt of Alabama (70-70-71, 211).
Notre Dame travels to the C&F Bank Intercollegiate March 24-26 at the Kingsmill Resort-River Course in Williamsburg, Va.
E-Z-GO Schenkel Invitational Final Results
TEAM RESULTS (TOP-10): 1. Alabama 848 (-16), 2. Texas 858 (-6), 3. North Florida 868 (+4), 4. Florida 873 (+9), 5. UCF 877 (+13), T6. Kentucky 883 (+19), T6. Georgia Southern 883 (+19), 8. Vanderbilt 887 (+23), T9. UAB 889 (+25), T9. Ole Miss 889 (+25), 15. Notre Dame 900 (+36).
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (TOP-5): 1. Justin Thomas (Alabama) 207 (-9), 2. Brandon Stone (Texas) 210 (-6), T3. Sean Dale (North Florida) 211 (-5), T3. Bobby Wyatt (Alabama) 211 (-5), T5. Cody Gribble (Texas) 212 (-4), T5. Scott Wolfes (Georgia Southern) 212 (-4).
NOTRE DAME RESULTS: T22. Paul McNamara III 220 (77-72-71), T22. Niall Platt 220 (72-75-73), T54. Andrew Lane 227 (74-78-75), T78. Tyler Wingo 235 (74-82-79), 84. Peyton Vitter 248 (86-85-77).
–ND–