April 22, 2000

AKRON, Ohio – The Notre Dame men’s golf team turned in a solid first day at the First Energy Intercollegiate, as the Irish stand tied for fifth-and just four shots out of second-following two rounds of play Saturday at the par-72, 7,029-yard Firestone Country Club.

Senior captain Todd Vernon led the Irish in the opening day with a 146 total, improving on his morning round (75) for a 71 in the afternoon. Vernon is tied for ninth in the 100-player field and is just three shots out of second, with Ohio State’s David Wagenseller (68-73/141) leading the individual competition.

Notre Dame was tied for second after posting a 296 in the morning round but slipped back to fifth with a 302 in the afternoon action. Sophomore Steve Ratay bounced back from his struggles this spring by posting rounds of 72-76 (148) while junior Alex Kent carded solid scores of 74-76 (150). Senior Jeff Connell (77-79/156) and junior Adam Anderson (75-82/157) rounded out the Irish five-man contingent.

Ohio State (282-291/573) holds a comfortable 21-stroke cushion on the three teams that are tied for second at 594: Wisconsin, Kent and Iowa.

NOTES: Vernon owns ND’s top stroke average for the spring (75.14) and for all of 1999-2000 (74.12, third-best in Irish history and best since 1956) … Connell (75.64) owns the team’s second-best spring average, followed by Kent (76.57), Ratay (76.64) and Anderson (78.55) … Vernon leads Ratay by a total of nine strokes for all of 1999-2000 (74.12 to 74.48) … other full-season averages include Kent (75.28), Connell (75.50) and Anderson (77.14) … Vernon has factored in the count-four team score during his last 15 rounds and in 24 of 25 overall in 1999-2000 … Ratay also has counted in 24 of 25 rounds, Connell in 20 of 24, Kent in 19 of 25 and Anderson in 13 of 22 … Vernon (75.43), Connell (75.84) and Ratay (76.05) remain in the No. 6-8 spots on the Notre Dame career stroke-average list (Vernon ranks second-best since 1970) … Vernon has counted in 88 of 102 career rounds (88.2 pct., third-best by an ND players since 1990) while Connell has counted in 75 of 88 (85.2 pct.) … ND’s 1999-2000 season stroke average of 298.04 (per four-man score) still is on pace to best the team record of 298.33, set in 1997-98.

TEAM STANDINGS (36 holes of 54): 1. Ohio State 282-291/573, 2. Wisconsin 304-290/594, Kent 304-290/594, Iowa 296-298/594, 5. Notre Dame 296-302/598, Toledo 305-293/598, Purdue 299-299/598, 8. Penn State 305-302/607, 9. Eastern Michigan 308-300/608, 10. Indiana 307-303/610, Wright State 303-307/610, 12. Illinois 309-302/611, 13. Ohio 302-310/612, Bowling Green 304-308/612, 15. Miami of Ohio 308-37/615, 16. Ball State 314-304/618, 17. Akron 314-307/621, 18. Northern Illinois 309-313/622, 19. Xavier 313-312/625, 20. Marquette 323-314/637.

TOP INDIVIDUALS (of 100): 1. David Wagenseller (OSU) 68-73/141, 2. Mike Austin (OSU) 70-73/143, David Jones (TOL) 73-70/143, 4. Todd Anderson (WIS) 73-71/144, Jason Olen (OSU) 71-73-144, 6. Ben Curtis (KENT) 74-71/145, Adam Turner (IOWA) 75-70/145, Ryan Dennis (OSU) 73-72/145, 9. Todd Vernon (ND) 75-71/146, four others at 146.

OTHER NOTRE DAME SCORES: 14. Steve Ratay 72-76/148, 20. Alex Kent 74-76/150, 67. Jeff Connell 77-79/156, 73. Adam Anderson 75-82/157.