March 9, 2009
HUMACAO, P.R. – Behind a one-under par 71 from junior Doug Fortner (Tustin, Calif./Foothill), Notre Dame is tied for fourth place after the first round of the Palmas del Mar Intercollegiate, which teed off Monday on the Flamboyan Course (par 72/6,931 yards) at the Palmas del Mar Golf Club in Humacao, P.R. The Irish, who are playing their first-ever tournament in the Caribbean, carded an opening-round 299 (+11) to match Virginia Commonwealth’s total and put them 15 shots behind tournament leader UNC Greensboro in the 10-team event, which is being hosted by St. John’s.
Fortner’s first-round 71 has him tied for second place with UNCG’s Ryan Heisey and Drew Younts through 18 holes, with all three players four strokes behind another UNCG golfer, Will Bowman in the 54-man field. It was Fortner’s third round below par this year, tying for the team lead in that category.
Freshman Chris Walker (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands), who is competing in this week’s tournament as an individual participant, shot a one-over par 73 on Monday and is among a group of five players tied for 11th place. It was Walker’s second-lowest round of the season, topped only by a second-round 70 on Sept. 21 at the John Dallio Memorial in Chicago.
Sophomore Jeff Chen (Walnut, Calif./Los Altos) is two strokes behind his teammate in a 17th-place tie with an opening-round 75 (+3). Freshman Max Scodro (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame Prep (Ariz.)) is another shot back in a tie for 21st place with a 76 (+4), and sophomore Connor Alan-Lee (Solana Beach, Calif./La Jolla Country Day School) is yet another stroke in arrears, sharing 29th place after a first-round 77 (+5). Sophomore Dustin Zhang (Calgary, Alberta/Bishop Carroll) completed the day one scoring for the Irish in a 40th-place tie at eight-over par 80.
Notre Dame continues play at the Palmas del Mar Intercollegiate with the second round of action on Tuesday morning. Complete results will be posted on the official Notre Dame athletics web site (www.UND.com) and the Notre Dame Sports Hotline (574-631-3000) at the conclusion of the day’s competition.
— ND —
Palmas del Mar Intercollegiate
March 9, 2009
Flamboyan Course/Palmas del Mar Golf Club (Humacao, P.R.)
Par 72/6,931 yards
18-HOLE TEAM RESULTS: 1. UNC Greensboro 284; 2. Johnson & Wales (Fla.) 294; 3. St. John’s 296; 4. (tie) NOTRE DAME 299 and VCU 299; 6. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.) 304; 7. Old Dominion 307; 8. Santa Clara 309; 9. Bowling Green 310; 10. George Mason 314.
TOP 4 INDIVIDUALS PLUS NOTRE DAME GOLFERS (of 54): 1. Will Bowman (UNCG) 67; 2. (tie) Doug Fortner (ND) 71, Ryan Heisey (UNCG) 71 and Drew Younts (UNCG) 71; 11. (tie) Chris Walker (ND)* 73; 17. (tie) Jeff Chen (ND) 75; 21. (tie) Max Scodro (ND) 76; 29. (tie) Connor Alan-Lee (ND) 77; 40. (tie) Dustin Zhang (ND) 80.
* – individual participant; score not counted to team total