March 14, 2004
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Notre Dame men’s golf team wrapped up play Sunday at the Conrad Rehling Invitational, finishing in ninth place with a three-round score of 42-over par 906 (304-297-305). The Irish completed the 13-team event 28 strokes behind the tournament winner (and host) Alabama, which edged Jacksonville State by two shots with a score of 14-over par 878. This weekend’s tournament was held at the par 72, 7,041-yard Ol’ Colony Golf Complex in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
As he did throughout the tournament, sophomore Scott Gustafson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS) set the pace for Notre Dame, ending up in a three-way tie for 11th place at three-over par 219 (73-69-77). It marks the fourth time in eight tournaments this season that the all-BIG EAST Conference pick has finished in the top 15. Gustafson came home 10 shots behind tournament medalist John Holmes of Kentucky, who fired a seven-under par 209.
Meanwhile, freshman Cole Isban (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka Marian HS) and sophomore Tommy Balderston (Boca Raton, Fla./St. Andrews HS) had nearly identical fortunes all weekend long, finishing among a group tied for 26th place at 10-over par 226. Isban fired rounds of 76, 75 and 75 for the three-day tourney, while Balderston carded scores of 76, 74 and 76 in his three circuits of the course.
Sophomores Mark Baldwin (Laconia, N.H./New Hampton Prep) and Eric Deutsch (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes HS) also paced one another throughout the competition. Baldwin wound up in 57th place at 19-over par 235 (79-79-77), while Deutsch was one stroke back in 59th place at 20-over par 236 (79-80-77). Freshman Shane Sigsbee (McKinney, Texas/McKinney HS) participated as an individual during the tournament, carding identical scores of 85 in the final two rounds after his opening-round mark was disqualified when he failed to sign his scorecard.
Notre Dame will have three weeks off before returning to the links April 3-4 for the Cleveland Golf/Augusta State Invitational in Augusta, Ga.
– ND –
FINAL TEAM RESULTS (54-hole totals): 1. Alabama 878 (293-287-298); 2. Jacksonville State 880 (286-295-299); 3. Kentucky 881 (299-290-292); 4. Mississippi 884 (292-297-295); 5. (tie) Kent State 887 (302-289-296) and Toledo 887 (297-296-294); 7. UAB 895 (304-298-293); 8. Georgia State 898 (305-301-292); 9. NOTRE DAME 906 (304-297-305); 10. North Florida 910 (307-297-306); 11. Tulane 911 (312-303-296); 12. Mississippi State 921 (304-313-304); 13. Michigan State 923 (304-308-311).
TOP 9 INDIVIDUALS (of 73): 1. John Holmes (Kentucky) 209 (69-69-71); 2. Lars Brovold (Alabama) 210 (68-71-71); 3. Clint Provost (Alabama) 212 (69-71-72); 4. Matias Anselmo (Jacksonville State) 213 (71-71-71); 5. Matt Kohn (Kentucky) 214 (75-71-68); 6. Kyle Ellis (Mississippi) 215 (74-72-69); 7. Jonathan Fricke (Georgia State) 216 (70-73-73); 8. (tie) Pope Spruiell (Mississippi) 217 (70-76-71) and Brad Heaven (Toledo) 217 (73-69-75).
NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 73): 11. (tie) Scott Gustafson 219 (73-69-77); 26. (tie) Tommy Balderston 226 (76-74-76) and Cole Isban 226 (76-75-75); 57. (tie) Mark Baldwin 235 (79-79-77); 59. (tie) Eric Deutsch 236 (79-80-77); DQ. Shane Sigsbee* (DQ-85-85).
* – player competed as an individual; score was not counted towards team total