Mark Baldwin ('06) was the 2005 BIG EAST Conference Player of the Year and a three-time all-conference performer at Notre Dame (Matt Cashore)

Irish Turn In Another Strong Finish, Placing Sixth At Coca-Cola Duke Classic

Oct. 10, 2005

Final Results From Coca-Cola Duke Classic in PDF Format
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DURHAM, N.C. — Inching closer to posting a breakthrough win that will put Notre Dame back among the elite men’s golf programs in the country, the Irish shot a one-over par 865 (291-286-288) to finish sixth at the 15-team Coca-Cola Duke Classic, which concluded Monday afternoon in Durham, N.C., at the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club (par 72/7,045 yards). Notre Dame’s three-round score of 865 not only was a season-low, but also was the third-lowest in school history and best-ever mark on a par-72 course. The only times the Irish shot better than they did in the past two days came at Stanford’s Nelson Invitational (863 in 2003; 854 in 2004), although both marks occurred at the shorter Stanford Golf Course, which was a par-71 layout in ’03 and a par-69 track in ’04 due to course renovations.

Notre Dame now has fired a 291 or lower in six of its last seven rounds, and has placed sixth or better in each of its three tournaments during the 2005 fall season. The Irish currently have a 292.22 stroke average this year, which stands as the second-best season-opening stroke average by a Notre Dame men’s golf team in the past 40 years (since the program began regularly playing tournaments instead of dual matches). In 1999-2000, the Irish opened the season with a 290.89 stroke average in its first three tournaments, winning twice and finishing third once, although the last of those three events was played on a par-71 course.

“This wasn’t our best performance, but I’d call it slightly above average,” second-year Notre Dame head coach Jim Kubinski said. “This was the third tournament in a row where we faced a really strong field and we stood up to the challenge well. But we’re not making the run that all good teams go on when they win these kinds of tournaments. We’re just a couple of mistakes here and there away from taking that next step to where we want this program to be.”

Notre Dame began the final round 15 strokes out of the lead, but needed only nine holes on Monday to trim that deficit to three shots, going out in seven-under par. However, the skies over Durham then opened and caused a one-hour rain delay, and following the resumption of play, the Irish immediately handed three strokes back to the field and could not quite regain their earlier momentum. The host school, fifth-ranked Duke, carded a 10-under par 854 to win the tournament title by one shot over Coastal Carolina and Northwestern, with 17th-ranked Minnesota (860) and Charlotte (863) rounding out the top five.

“I’m pleased that we were able to finish ahead of some other strong teams like North Carolina (by four strokes) and Virginia (by 22 strokes),” Kubinski pointed out. “We also finished in front of a couple of very good Midwest District teams in Michigan State (by four strokes) and Ohio State (by 24 strokes).”

In the individual competition, Notre Dame and Duke were the only two schools to have two golfers finish among the top 10 in the 81-player field. Senior Mark Baldwin (Laconia, N.H./New Hampton Prep), ranked 50th in the nation by Golfweek, paced the Irish contingent, tying for sixth place with a career-low six-under par 210 (70-72-68), matching the second-lowest 54-hole score in school history and one stroke under his previous personal best that he set at the 2003 Nelson Invitational. Baldwin now has shot par or better in six of his nine rounds this fall and has finished in the top 15 at all three tournaments, including top-10 showings at the Gopher Invitational and Coca-Cola Duke Classic (he now has six career top-10 finishes, with five coming since the start of last season).

Senior Scott Gustafson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) backed up his No. 75 national ranking by Golfweek with a tie for eighth place at five-under par 211 (70-69-72), his best three-round score snce he fired a career-low 210 (-6) at the 2003 SMU/Stonebridge Invitational. Gustafson also collected his seventh career top-10 finish and first in tournament play since he placed ninth while competing as an individual at the 2005 Irish Spring Invitational.

Dustin Johnson of Coastal Carolina won medalist honors by seven strokes, carding a 15-under par 201 with three consecutive scores of 67.

“Mark had a fantastic tournament and Scotty was rock solid for us both days,” Kubinski said. “I was happy with the way those guys stepped up. Scotty had a bogey-free second round and Mark was headed in that direction until the very end of (Monday’s) round when he missed a couple of short putts. They were a big reason why we were able to get into contention earlier in the day and it’s good to see them swinging the club as well as they are.”

Junior Cole Isban (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian), the nation’s 31st-ranked player according to Golfweek, ended the tournament tied for 37th place at five-over par 221 (76-71-74), breaking a streak of 15 consecutive tournaments in which he had placed 30th or better, dating back to the 2004 NCAA Central Regional. Meanwhile, sophomore Greg Rodgers (Phoenix, Md./St. Paul’s School) tied for 54th place at eight-over par 224 (76-74-74), and senior Eric Deutsch (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes) struggled on the final day, finishing in a 79th-place deadlock at 16-over par 232 (75-77-80).

Notre Dame won’t have much time to rest, as it heads to the West Coast for the final two tournaments on its 2005 fall schedule. The Irish will be back on the links next Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 17-18, when they compete in The Prestige at PGA WEST, which will be held on the Greg Norman Course at the famed PGA WEST facility in La Quinta, Calif. Notre Dame tied for 10th at last year’s Prestige at PGA WEST, with Isban finishing second in the individual standings after leading much of the way.

— ND —

FINAL TEAM RESULTS (54-hole totals): 1. Duke 854 (283-279-292); 2. (tie) Coastal Carolina 855 (280-282-293) and Northwestern 855 (288-284-283); 4. Minnesota 860 (282-282-292); 5. Charlotte 863 (284-287-292); 6. NOTRE DAME 865 (291-286-288); 7. (tie) Michigan State 869 (289-293-287) and North Carolina 869 (297-285-287); 9. UNC Greensboro 870 (295-283-292); 10. North Carolina State 872 (290-284-298); 11. Virginia Tech 877 (296-292-289); 12. Florida Southern 881 (303-283-295); 13. UNC Wilmington 886 (299-294-293); 14. Virginia 887 (294-295-298); 15. Ohio State 889 (301-301-287).

TOP FIVE INDIVIDUALS PLUS NOTRE DAME GOLFERS (of 81): 1. Dustin Johnson (Coastal Carolina) 201 (67-67-67); 2. (tie) Ryan Brehm (Michigan State) 208 (66-70-72), Antti Ahokas (Minnesota) 208 (69-68-71) and Matt Mincer (Charlotte) 208 (71-68-69); 5. Jake Grodzinsky (Duke) 209 (70-69-70); 6. (tie) Mark Baldwin 210 (70-72-68); 8. (tie) Scott Gustafson (Notre Dame) 211 (70-69-72); 37. (tie) Cole Isban (Notre Dame) 221 (76-71-74); 54. (tie) Greg Rodgers (Notre Dame) 224 (76-74-74); 79. (tie) Eric Deutsch (Notre Dame) 232 (75-77-80).