March 23, 2002
Pottsboro, Texas – The Notre Dame men’s golf team shot rounds of 306 and 307 Saturday afternoon for a 36-hole total of 37-over par 613 at the Pepsi-Cola Invitational. That puts the Irish 27 strokes behind second round leader Michigan State as the Spartans fired rounds of 295 and 291 on the par 72, 6,993-yard Tanglewood Resort Golf Course.
The Spartans go into Sunday’s final round of play with a nine-stroke lead over second-place Rollins College. Rollins was one of three schools to turn in sub-600 rounds with a 595-total (297-298). Minnesota was third with a 598 (295-303). Rounding out the top five were Illinois (303-299-602) and Penn State (303-305-608). The Irish go into the final round of play just five strokes out of fifth place and 11 strokes from fourth.
Individually, the Irish have two golfers in the top 20 as freshman K.C. Wiseman (South Bend, Ind.) is tied for 14th after a pair of 75’s for an eight-over par 150 total. Senior Steve Ratay (Arlington Heights, Ill.), Notre Dame’s top golfer all season, is tied for 17th after opening with a 74 and finishing with a 77 for a 151 total.
Wiseman and Ratay go into the final 18 holes of play seven and eight shots behind tournament leader Wilhelm Schauman of Minnesota respectively. Schauman turned in the only 36-hole total below par after rounds of 71 and 72 for his one-under par 143. He owns a one-stroke lead over three golfers – Eric Jorgensen (Michigan State), Geoff Lound (Illinois) and teammate Simon Nash – as each have even-par totals of 144. Alex Smith of Rollins College and J.J. Beckstrom and Casey Lubahn of Michigan State were two back with 145 totals.
For the Irish following Wiseman and Ratay are freshman Steve Colnitis (Baldwin, Md.) who is tied for 22nd with a 153 (77-76). Brandon Lunke (Jr., San Antonio, Texas) was tied for 54th with a 159 (80-79) and Chris Whitten (Sr., Rockford, Mich.) rounded out the Notre Dame squad with a tie for 67th as he shot rounds of 82 and 81 for a 163 total.
Sunday’s final round of play will begin at 8:00 a.m. Central time, as the teams will play 18 holes at the Tanglewood Resort Golf Club in Pottsboro, Texas.
TEAM RESULTS (36 holes): 1. Michigan State 295-291-586, 2. Rollins College 297-298-595, 3. Minnesota 295-303-598, 4. Illinois 303-299-602, 5. Penn State 303-305-608, 6. Notre Dame 306-307-613, t7. Bowling Green 310-306-616, Wichita State 311-305-616, 9. Iowa 312-306-618, 10. Princeton 313-307-620, 11. Florida Gulf Coast 312-311-623, 12. DePaul 312-315-627, 13. Northern Illinois 319-316-635.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 74): 1. Wilhelm Schauman (Minnesota) 71-72-143, t2. Geoff Lound (Illinois) 72-72-144, Geoff Lound (Illinois) 72-72-144, Eric Jorgenson (Michigan State) 74-70-144, Simon Nash (Minnesota) 71-73-144, t5. Alex Smith (Rollins) 73-72-145, Casey Labahn (Michigan State) 72-73-145, J.J. Beckstrom (Michigan State) 73-72-145, t8. Rob Oppenheim (Rollins) 72-75-147, Nathan Clark (Michigan State) 73-74-147, 10. Derek Lamely (Florida Golf Coast) 75-73-148, Lee Stroever (Rollins) 74-74-148.
NOTRE DAME PLAYERS (of 74): t14. K.C. Wiseman 75-75-150, t17. Steve Ratay 74-77-151, t22. Steve Colnitis 77-76-153, t54. Brandon Lunke 80-79-159, t67. Chris Whitten 82-81-163.