March 22, 2006
HONOLULU, Hawaii – Junior Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, Ill./Hoffman Estates) fired a two-round three-over par total of 145 (74-71) during the first day of competition at the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational at the par 71, 5,651-yard Klipper Golf Course. As a team, Notre Dame posted its top 36-hole total of the spring semester with a 603 (299-304) to currently reside in third place. The first round score of 299 (+15) also marked the first time that the Irish broke 300 during the spring campaign.
Tennessee, the No. 16 team in the latest golfstat.com rankings, leads the 11-team field with a 576 (288-288) heading into Wednesday’s third and final round. No. 24 New Mexico is second with a 596 (301-295). The Irish, who entered competition ranked 53rd, are seven shots in back of the Lobos.
Golda Johansson from Tennessee leads all individuals with a one-over par 143 (70-73). Her first round total of 70 tied the low mark of the day. Nakazaki is just two shots off of the pace as she is gunning for her second victory of the 20005-06 campaign.
Joining Nakazaki in the top-10 is her senior teammate Lauren Gebauer (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington), who shot a seven-over par 149 (74-75) on Tuesday. Gebauer is in a three-way tie for 10th.
Notre Dame freshman Lisa Maunu (St. Thomas, Ontario/Parkside Collegiate Institute) is tied for 20th as she carded a 153 (75-78) and senior Suzie Hayes (Dublin, Ireland/Loreto College) is tied for 30th with a 156 (76-80). Fellow senior Katie Brophy (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep) rounds out the scoring lineup for the Irish as she registered a 161 (79-82) and is in a tie for 51st overall.
The Fighting Irish also have two golfers playing as individual entrants in the tournament. Sophomore Alejandra Diaz-Calderon (Guadalajara, Mexico/American) posted identical rounds of 79 on the day and is tied for 44th, while freshman Courtney Sullivan (Gresham, Ore./Sam Barlow) shot a pair of 81’s and is tied for 53rd.
Wednesday’s third and final round will get underway with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. (Hawaii Time). Full results can be found at hawaiiathletics.com. For additional information please log on to und.com or call the Notre Dame athletics hotline at (574) 631-3000.
Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational (Klipper Golf Course – Honolulu, Hawaii, Par 71, 5,651-yards)
Team Scores (36-hole totals): 1. Tennessee 576 (288-288), 2. New Mexico 596 (301-295), 3. Notre Dame 603 (299-304), 4t. LSU 612 (294-318), 4t. UTEP 612 (313-299), 4t. Hawaii 612 (310-302), 7t. Kansas State 616 (303-313), 7t. Princeton 616 (308-308), 7t. Osaka Gakuin 616 (307-309), 10. British Columbia 621 (312-309), 11. Hawaii-Hilo 656 (321-335).
Top-5 Golfers (out of 63) (36-hole totals): 1. Golda Johansson (Tennessee) 143 (70-73), 2t. Violeta Retamoza (Tennessee) 144 (72-72), 2t. Nicole Smith (Tennessee) 144 (72-72), 4t. Noriko Nakazaki (Notre Dame) 145 (74-71), 4t. Giselle Claux (New Mexico) 145 (72-73).
Notre Dame Scores (36-hole totals): 4t. Noriko Nakazaki 145 (74-71), 10t. Lauren Gebauer 149 (74-75), 20t. Lisa Maunu 153 (75-78), 30t. Suzie Hayes 156 (76-80), 44t. Alejandra Diaz-Calderon* 158 (79-79), 51t. Katie Brophy 161 (79-82), 53t. Courtney Sullivan* 162 (81-81).
*-individual entrant
— ND —