Sept. 30, 2000
URBANA, Ill. – The Notre Dame men’s golf team had a rough opening round Saturday at the Northern Intercollegiate, posting a 311 in the morning round before seeing the afternoon round halted due to darkness (it will be completed Sunday morning, followed by the third and final round).
Notre Dame’s first-round total at the par-72, 7,118-yard Stone Creek Golf Club places the Irish in 17th at the 18-team event, three back of Western Kentucky and Akron and one shot ahead of Ball State.
Junior captain Steve Ratay paced the Irish with an opening-round 76 (good for a share of 37th) while seniors Pat Schaffler (77) and Alex Kent (79) also counted to the four-player team score. Sophomore Brandon Lunke (79) rounded out Notre Dame’s counted scores while freshman Gavin Ferlic-a product of Mishawaka Marian High School-posted an 82 in his first intercollegiate tournament.
Purdue and Miami (Ohio) claimed a share of the first-round lead with scores of 291, followed by Wisconsin (292) and Indiana (293). Penn State’s Matt Abbott finished the first-round in a three-way tie atop the leaderboard, along with IU’s Mike Castleforte and Xavier’s Tim Smith.
TEAM STANDINGS (18 of 54 holes): 1. Purdue 291, Miami (Ohio) 291, 3. Wisconsin 292, 4. Indiana 293, 5. Marshall 297, 6. Illinois 298, Iowa 298, 8. Michigan State 301, Ohio State 301, 10. Penn State 302, 11. Louisville 304, Xavier 304, 13. Michigan 305, 14. Kentucky 306, 15. Western Kentucky 308, Akron 308, 17. Notre Dame 311, 18. Ball State 312.
TOP INDIVIDUALS (of 90): 1. Matt Abbott (PSU) 70, Mike Castleforte (IND) 70, Tim Smith (XAV) 70, 4. Lee Curry (MIA) 71, Jarod Topmiller (WKY) 71, Geoff Lound (ILL) 71, Ryan Barauskas (PUR) 71.
NOTRE DAME SCORES: 37. Steve Ratay 76, 50. Pat Schaffler 77, 66. Alex Kent 79, 66. Brandon Lunke 79, 85. Gavin Ferlic 82.