March 13, 2007
Final Results – Triumph at Pauma Valley (PDF)
PAUMA VALLEY, Calif. — The Notre Dame men’s golf team capped off the first half of its Spring Break trip in strong fashion, finishing second in the inaugural Triumph at Pauma Valley, which wrapped up Tuesday afternoon at the Pauma Valley Country Club (par 71/7,077 yards) in Pauma Valley, Calif. The Irish carded a season-low three-round score of 11-over par 863 (291-286-286), ending up behind only Saint Mary’s (Calif.), which won the tournament at 853, and placing ahead of No. 32 Wisconsin (866) in the final standings. The runner-up finish also was the best for Notre Dame in a regular-season tournament since a similar second-place showing at the 2005 General Jim Hackler Invitational.
Freshman Doug Fortner (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) was the story of the tournament for the Irish, as the rookie (playing 90 minutes from his Orange County hometown) finished fourth in the 81-man field with a career-best score of one-under par 212 (69-72-71). It’s the second consecutive season in which a Notre Dame freshman has collected a top-five finish — Josh Sandman (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford) tied for second in his second career outing at the 2006 Boilermaker Invitational.
Senior co-captain Adam Gifford (Plymouth, Ind./Plymouth) also had a career-best tournament, finishing in fifth place at even-par 213 (73-69-71). Senior All-America candidate Cole Isban (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian) showed tremendous grit and determination, battling through a stomach virus to tie for eighth place at three-over par 216 (73-70-73). Sandman made a move in the final round, rising to 34th place at 10-over par 223 (76-75-72), while junior Eddie Peckels (Pinehurst, N.C./Pope John Paul II (Fla.)) wound up in a 47th-place tie at 15-over par 228 (78-78-72).
Notre Dame won’t have much time to savor its success, as the Irish will head directly to Laredo, Texas, for the 56th annual Border Olympics at the Laredo Country Club. The first two rounds will take place Friday, while the third round is slated for Saturday afternoon. Complete results will be posted here on the official Notre Dame athletics web site upon completion of each day’s action. Fans also can obtain updates on the Irish through the Notre Dame Sports Hotline (574-631-3000) and the Irish ALERT text message system (click here for more details).
— ND —
Triumph at Pauma Valley
March 12-13, 2007 — Pauma Valley, Calif.
Pauma Valley Country Club (par 71/7,077 yards)
TEAM RESULTS (54-hole totals): 1. Saint Mary’s (Calif.) 853 (283-290-280); 2. NOTRE DAME 863 (291-286-286); 3. Wisconsin 866 (291-283-292); 4. San Diego 871 (298-282-291); 5. Long Beach State 878 (291-296-291); 6. UC Santa Barbara 881 (290-297-294); 7. Campbell 884 (297-294-293); 8. Cal Poly 886 (299-299-288); 9. Loyola Marymount 893 (290-294-309); 10. Hartford 899 (301-299-304); 11. Santa Clara 900 (298-294-308); 12. San Francisco 903 (298-297-308); 13. (tie) Weber State 905 (304-298-303) and Air Force 905 (293-308-304); 15. San Francisco `B’ 916 (300-308-308); 16. Cal State Monterey Bay 922 (296-314-312).
TOP FIVE INDIVIDUALS PLUS NOTRE DAME FINISHERS (of 81): 1. Mike McRae (Saint Mary’s) 209 (70-70-69); 2. (tie) Pat Duffy (Wisconsin) 211 (72-64-75) and Darrin Hall (San Diego) 211 (74-67-70); 4. Doug Fortner (Notre Dame) 212 (69-72-71); 5. Adam Gifford (Notre Dame) 213 (73-69-71); 8. (tie) Cole Isban (Notre Dame) 216 (73-70-73); 34. Josh Sandman (Notre Dame) 223 (76-75-72); 47. (tie) Eddie Peckels (Notre Dame) 228 (78-78-72).