Sept. 22, 2001

Yorktown, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s golf team opened the fall schedule by firing rounds of 300 and 305 for a 605 total after 36 holes at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational hosted by Ball State University. The Irish finished the opening day last in the 19-team tournament field.

The University of Louisville leads the tournament with a 28-under par total of 548 (276-272). The Cardinals have a 10-stroke lead over Western Kentucky and a 14-stroke lead over third place Butler University. Western Kentucky turned in rounds of 280-278 for a 558 total. Butler turned in rounds of 287-275 for a 562 mark. Tournament host Ball State was fourth with a 567 total (285-282) and Akron rounded out the top five with rounds of 283 and 285 for a 568 finish.

Senior Chris Whitten (Rockford, Mich.) led the Irish by firing a two-over par 146 (74-72) to tie for 45th overall and is 11 strokes off the pace set by Louisville’s Brett Jones and Mark Anderson and Eastern Kentucky’s Brad Morris as all three golfers turned in 36-hole totals of nine-under par 135 on the par 72, 6,911 yard Player’s Club course. Jones had rounds of 69-66 while Anderson had a 68-67 and Morris a tournament-low 65 and 70 for his 135 total.

Following the three-way tie for first, four players tied for fourth and are two strokes off the lead with seven-under par 137’s. Western Kentucky’s Brandon Waldrop (68-69), Butler’s Mitch Foss (69-68), Ball State’s Dan Witt (69-68) and Akron’s Chris Jamieson (67-70) will go into Sunday’s final 18 holes with a shot at the championship. Louisville’s Grant Sturgeon (70-68) and Western Kentucky’s Jared Topmiller (70-68) are tied for eighth with 138 totals. Northern Illinois’ Joe True (71-68) and IUPUI’s Chris Stoute (71-68) rounded out the top ten individual golfers at 139 and are four strokes off the lead.

Following Whitten for the Irish was freshman Steve Colnitis (Baldwin, Md.) who was tied for 81st after rounds of 74 and 78 for a 152 total. Steve Ratay (Sr., Arlington Heights, Ill.) was tied for 85th with a 153 total (76-77), sophomore Gavin Ferlic (South Bend, Ind.) tied for 89th overall after rounds of 76 and 78 for a 154 and K.C. Wiseman (South Bend, Ind.) was 100th for the day with a 158 total (79-79).

The final 18 holes of play will be played on Sunday, Sept. 23 at the Players Club Course beginning at 8:00 a.m.

TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals): 1. Louisville 276-272-548, 2. Western Kentucky 280-278-558, 3. Butler 287-275-562, 4. Ball State 285-282-567, 5. Akron 283-285-568, 6. Eastern Kentucky 279-291-570, 7. Wright State 289-287-576, tie 8. Detroit Mercy 290-289-579, Bowling Green 284-295-579, 10. Iowa 292-288-580, tie 11. Eastern Michigan 292-289-581, IU-Purdue-Indy 292-289-581, 13. Xavier 289-293-582, 14. Cincinnati 293-290-583, tie 15. Ohio University 294-293-587, Youngstown State 288-299-587, 17. Cleveland State 291-297-588, 18. Northern Illinois 301-294-595, 19. Notre Dame 300-305-605.

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 104): T1. Brett Jones (Louisville) 69-66-135, Mark Anderson (Louisville) 68-67-135, Brad Morris (Eastern Kentucky) 65-70-135, T4. Brandon Waldrop (Western Kentucky) 68-69-137, Mitch Foss (Butler) 69-68-137, Dan Witt (Ball State) 69-68-137, Chris Jamieson (Akron) 67-70-137, T8. Grant Sturgeon (Louisville) 70-68-138, Jared Topmiller (Western Kentucky) 70-68-138, T10. Joe True (Northern Illinois) 71-68-139, Chris Stoute (IUPUI) 71-68-139.

NOTRE DAME SCORES: t45. Chris Whitten 74-72-146, t81. Steve Colnitis 74-78-152, t85. Steve Ratay 76-77-153, t89. Gavin Ferlic 76-78-154, 100. K.C. Wiseman 79-79-158.