Sept. 20, 2003
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team is tied for fifth place at the Mary Fossum Invitaional after the first two rounds of play on Saturday, September 20. The Irish shot rounds of 314 and 311 for a total of 49-over par 625 and are 24 strokes behind tournament-leader Michigan State (299-302-601). The host Spartans hold a 21-shot lead in the 16-team field over second-place teams Indiana and Arkansas. The 54-hole tournament is being played at the par-72, 6,053-yard Forest Akers West Golf Course in East Lansing, Mich.
Leading Notre Dame is freshman Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, Ill.) who is following a one-over par debut performance at the Cougar Classic where she shot a school-record 217 (69-72-76). The rookie fired rounds of 76 and 73 on day one of the Mary Fossum, placing her in a tie for second with a five-over par 149. Nakazaki is tied with Michigan State’s Allison Fouch and is two strokes behind the leader, Courtney Mahon of Arkansas.
Sophomore Katie Brophy (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep) also gave the Irish two solid rounds of play. Brophy is tied for ninth after shooting a pair of 76’s for an eight-over par total of 152.
Following Brophy, Suzie Hayes (Dublin, Ireland) carded a two-round total of 162 (82-80) in her first action of the season, placing her tied in 53rd place. Freshman Stacy Brown (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands HS) is two strokes behind Hayes after shooting identical rounds of 82 for a 164. Rounding out the Irish five, senior co-captain Shannon Byrne (Arlington Heights, Ill.) shot a first-round score of 80 followed by an 85 to place her tied in 66th with a 165.
The final 18 holes of the Mary Fossum Invitational will be played Sunday. The final round will get underway with a shotgun start at 9:00 a.m. (EDT).
Final results from the tournament will be posted on www.und.com after play has concluded.
— ND —
TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals): 1. Michigan State 601 (299-302); 2.(tie) Indiana 622(310-312), Arkansas 622 (314-308); 4. Kansas 624 (320-304); 5.(tie) Notre Dame 625 (314-311), Kent State 625 (314-311); 7.(tie) Illinois State 626 (311-315),Illinois 626 (322-304),Wisconsin (320-306); 10. Michigan 627 (313-314); 11. Toledo 631 (318-313); 12. Western Michigan 641 (324-317); 13.(tie) Ohio U. 646 (327-319), Eastern Michigan 646 (317-329), Southern Methodist 646 (329-317); 16. Marshall 671 (340-331).
TOP EIGHT INDIVIDUALS (of 90): 1. Courtney Mahon (Arkansas) 147 (73-74); 2.(tie) Noriko Nakazaki (Notre Dame) 149 (76-73), Allison Fouch (Michigan State) 149 (72-77); 4.(tie) Jennifer Johnson* (Michigan State) 150 (76-74), Sarah Martin (Michigan State) 150 (76-74), 6.(tie) Dayna Burleigh (Michigan State) 151 (77-74), Samantha Riehdale (Illinois State) 151 (74-77), Heather Rose (Michigan State) 151 (74-77).
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 90): 2.(tie) Noriko Nakazaki 149 (76-73); 9.(tie) Katie Brophy 152 (76-76); 53.(tie) Suzie Hayes 162 (82-80); 60.(tie) Stacy Brown 164 (82-82); 66.(tie) Shannon Byrne 165 (80-85).
*-Individual entrant