Aug. 31, 1998

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – A pair of United States Amateur qualifiers-both Wisconsin natives-found themselves atop the leader boards Sunday at Notre Dame’s annual campus championship golf tournament, following second-day action at Blackthorn Golf Club.

Junior Andrea Klee (Appleton, Wis.) captured the women’s medalist honors with a two-round total of 158 on the par 72, 5,961-yard course. The Irish team captain fired an opening round 81 on Saturday before adding the best round of the women’s tournament, 77, over Sunday’s final 18 holes. Klee is just the second different women’s golfer to win the tournament since 1993, as 1998 graduate Katie King captured the past four campus titles (all at Blackthorn except for the ’94 event, which was held at the Notre Dame Golf Course).

In the men’s competition, junior Jeff Connell (La Crosse, Wis.) continued his torrid play by firing rounds of 72 and 73 from the championship tees (7,105 yards), with the men’s competition set to conclude with 36 holes on Sunday, Sept. 6 at Blackthorn. Connell, the defending campus champion, is coming off a strong showing last week at the U.S. Amateur, where he missed advancing to match play by a single shot.

A total of 28 golfers will advance to the final two rounds of the men’s cometition, with the cutoff at 165. Sophomore Jeff Irish (East Lansing, Mich.) was included in the group of 28, after not finishing the final few holes of his second round due to a back injury (he shot an 83 in the first round).

Sunday’s action also featured the first career hole-in-one for junior Beth Cooper (Kalamazoo, Mich.), who posted 87-81/168 over the weekend action. Cooper registered her ace on the 117-yard 16th hole , using a nine iron.

Other top finishers in the women’s competition included junior Brigid Fisher (Augusta, Ga.) at 83-79/162 and sophomores Mary Klein (Kokomo, Ind.) and Becca Schloss (Bloomsburg, Pa.), who both posted round of 88-79/167. The team’s only other veteran, sophomore Danielle Villarosa (Verona, N.J.), finished ninth at 177 (89-88).

Six newcomers rounded out the 12-golfer women’s field, led by freshmen Kristin McMurtrie (83-86/169; Calgary, Alberta) and Lauren Fuchs (86-90/176; Louisville, Ky.) and sophomore Shane Smith (91-88/179), a transfer from SMU and a native of St. Petersburg, Fla.

Senior co-captain Brad Hardin (Martinsville, Ind.)-who won the 1996 campus championship at Blackthorn-stands just two shots behind Connell with a 147 total, after posting rounds of 78 and a tournament-best 69.

Freshman Kyle Monfort (Dublin, Ohio)-whose summer highlights included shooting a nine-birdie, course-record round of 63 at his home course Muirfield Country Club-stands in third place (74-76/150) while fellow rookie Chris Whitten (Rockford, Mich.) used an even-par first round and 80 on Sunday to earn a share of fourth. Junior co-captain Todd Vernon (Englewood, Colo.), who won the 1997 BIG EAST Conference tournament at Blackthorn with rounds of 70 and 71, also is tied for fourth after matching rounds of 76.

Other top performers through two rounds include: junior Bo Plummer (77-76/153; Louisville, Ky.), sophomore Pat Schaffler (76-78/154; Dallas, Texas), freshman Steve Ratay (78-80/158; Arlington Heights, Ill.) and junior newcomer Mike Gehrke (81-77/158; Grosse Point, Mich.).

Returning starter Willie Kent (Asuncion, Paraguay)–a senior who transferred to Notre Dame from St. Louis University last spring- is one of four golfers tied for 10th at 159, after rounds of 77 and 82. Others who totaled 159 include sophomore John Dunham (81-78; Indianapolis, Ind.), junior Dan Bumpus (76-83; Brighton, Mich.) and freshman Brian McCabe (80-79; North Barringotn, Ill.).

Complete results follow below:

NOTRE DAME CAMPUS GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPAug. 29-30, 1998 ... Blackthorn Golf ClubPar 72 (7,105 yards - championship tees;  5,961 yards - forward tees)
Women's Final Results 1. Andrea Klee 81-77/158; 2. Brigid Fisher 83-79/162; 3. Mary Klein 88-79/167; Becca Schloss 88-79/167; 5. Beth Cooper 87-81/168; 6. Kristin McMurtria 83-86/169; 7. Lauren Fuchs 86-90/176; 8. Danielle Villarosa 89-88/177; 9. Shane Smith 91-88/179;10. Jennifer Lynch 92-92/184;11. Sara Rabe 94-92/186;12. Lindsay Petersen 99-97/196.
Men's Standings (36 of 72 holes) Advancing to final 36 holes, on Sept. 6: 1. Jeff Connell 72-73/145; 2. Brad Hardin 78-69/147; 3. Kyle Monfort 74-76/150; 4. Chris Whitten 72-80/152; Todd Vernon 76-76/152; 6. Bo Plummer 77-76/153; 7. Pat Schaffler 76-78/154; 8. Steve Ratay 78-80/158; Mike Gehrke 81-77/158;10. John Dunham 81-78/159; Dan Bumpus 76-83/159; Willie Kent 77-82/159; Brian McCabe 80-79/159;14. Chris Wilde 81-79/160; Brett Rechel 78-82/160;16. Pat Caraher 77-84/161; Matt McKay 80-81/161; Kevin Ricci 84-77/161 ;19. Jon Kosares 80-82/162;20. John Caliolo 84-80/164; Adam Anderson 78-86/164; Joseph Gehrke 87-77/164; Wade Hellner 76-88/164; Kevin Leonard 81-83/164;25. Todd Hardin 81-84/165; Wesley Gleason 85-80/165; John Micek 80-85/165. (Also advancing: Jeff Irish 83-WD).
Failed to advance:28. David Lubnik 86-80/166;29. Andrew Whiting 84-84/168; Anthony Bartash 85-83/168;31. Matt Sheehan 78-91/169; Jonathan Volk 89-80/169; Nathan Mogren 84-85/169;34. Adam Limbach 80-90/170; Tom Campbell 87-83/170; Bob Forgash 84-86/170; Kyle Heroman 84-86/170; Nick Creten 89-82/171; Coley Brady 84-89/173; John McDougall 86-87/173;41. L.J. Hayes 90-89/179; John Beeler 92-87/179;43. Joshua Leeman 92-89/181;44. Nick Wilhelmson 97-89/186;45. Dan Schaffler 91-WD; Dennis Abdelnour 92-WD.