Feb. 23, 2006
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For nearly four months, the Notre Dame men’s golf team has had to do a slow burn, following a bizarre disqualification in its final fall tournament, the CordeValle Collegiate. Now, the Irish get a chance to rinse the bitter taste from their mouths when they tee off the 2006 spring season Monday and Tuesday at the Lexus Naples Intercollegiate, hosted by Peter Jacobsen Productions, at the Hammock Bay Golf & Country Club in Naples, Fla.
Notre Dame is ranked 46th in the nation, according to the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index, while also receiving eight votes in the GCAA/Bridgestone Top 25 poll (tied for 37th if the poll were extended). The Irish own a 292.50 stroke average with four top-six finishes and three wins over nationally-ranked opponents. Notre Dame also has each of its tri-captains ranked among the top 76 according to the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index, led by senior Scott Gustafson, who is ranked 42nd with a team-best 72.17 stroke average. Senior Mark Baldwin is ranked at No. 76 and holds a 72.58 stroke average, while junior Cole Isban is 68th in the nation and cards a 72.67 stroke average.
Quoting Coach Kubinski…
“Our team is really excited about returning to competition. The Peter Jacobsen/Lexus event in Naples is a good test right out of the gate. There are several ranked teams in the field, most notably, Wake Forest and Baylor. The golf course will be a good test as it stretches close to 7,000 yards and, like most Florida courses, has its share of hazards – both of bunker and water variety.
“I certainly feel our top three players (Cole Isban, Mark Baldwin and Scott Gustafson) can match up against any team’s best three. We just need to get a quality fourth score counted. We certainly have several players with that potential. It’s likely our sophomores Mike King and Greg Rodgers will have first crack at filling out our lineup with this week’s event.
“We just have so many capable players. I almost wish college golf involved playing 10 players and counting eight or nine scores versus the ‘play five/count four.’ Regardless, I like our competitiveness and our talent. I’m looking forward to a productive spring. As with any successful team at the collegiate level, we must play with focus and make good decisions. If we can eliminate the ‘others’ (double bogeys or worse) on our cards, we certainly make enough birdies to post some very low numbers. Our keys will be to eliminate the big numbers and capitalize with the putter when we have reasonable birdie chances. If we do those things, we can move our ranking back up to where it was in October (No. 12 in Golfweek) and contend for more tournament wins.”
Dates and Times
Teams will play two rounds (36 holes) on Monday, with the opening round teeing off via a shotgun start at 8 a.m. (ET). The second round will begin immediately following the conclusion of round one. Competitors will then return to the course Tuesday at 8 a.m. (ET) for the final round, once again using a shotgun start.
Tournament Results
Complete results following each day’s action also will be posted on the official Notre Dame athletics web site (www.und.com). In addition, the latest information on the Irish is available on the Notre Dame Sports Hotline (574-631-3000). Callers should select option #9, then press #2 for the latest information on the tournament, as well as weather or scheduling delays. Live scoring is not available for this event.
The Tournament Format
A total of 12 five-man teams (60 participants, with the possibility of some teams fielding additional golfers on an individual basis) will be participating in the Lexus Naples Intercollegiate. Conventional collegiate golf team scoring rules will apply, with the lowest four scores in the five-man lineup for each round counting toward the team total.
The Teams
Aside from Notre Dame, the rest of the 12-team field for the Lexus Naples Intercollegiate includes: Baylor, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida State, Illinois State, Navy, Ohio State, Portland, Rhode Island, defending tournament champion St. Mary’s (Calif.), Wake Forest and Wisconsin.
According to the latest GCAA/Bridgestone Top 25 poll (released Feb. 16), one Top 25 teams – No. 15 Wake Forest. Besides Notre Dame (eight votes, tied for 37th if the poll were extended), Baylor is the only other squad presently receiving votes in that poll – the Bears garnered 59 votes (tied with Tulsa for 26th).
Meanwhile, the latest ratings in the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index (as of Feb. 19) have been compiled and four of the top 50 teams are competing at CordeValle. Up front is No. 20 Baylor, followed by No. 21 Wake Forest, No. 38 Florida State and No. 46 Notre Dame.
In addition, the latest Golfstat rankings of the 2005-06 season were released Feb. 21 and there also are four of this weekend’s participants appearing in that service’s Top 50. Wake Forest is 19th, just ahead of No. 20 Baylor, with No. 39 Florida State and No. 47 Notre Dame lurking as well.
The Irish haven’t faced many of the other teams they will see at the Lexus Naples Intercollegiate, having played only two of the other 11 squads at some point during their five tournaments this fall and posting a combined 3-0 record. Notre Dame is 2-0 against Ohio State (24-stroke difference at Coca-Cola Duke Classic; 17 at Prestige at PGA WEST), and 1-0 vs. Florida State (six at Shoal Creek Intercollegiate).
The Course
Located in Naples, Fla., the Hammock Bay Golf & Country Club was co-designed by PGA Tour veteran Peter Jacobsen (also serving as co-host of this week’s tournament) and Jim Hardy. It measures 6,912 yards and will play this week as a par-72 course.
The Hammock Bay layout brings a fresh, new approach to golf in the Naples area. Designed with an emphasis on the boundless beauty of the area’s natural environment, Hammock Bay provides an enjoyable challenge to all golfers, regardless of their level of play. The contours, shape and orientation of the course greens were designed with the approach shot in mind. The green surrounds are also fashioned to present the golfer with a variety of shot options. Bunkers are strategically positioned to both challenge the risk taker and, in some cases, direct the placement of shots – all intended to add to the course’s visual appeal and uniqueness.
Irish Host Successful Alumni Matches In Orlando
Notre Dame saw its first action of the 2006 spring season on Feb. 18-19 with its annual alumni matches at the Saddlebrook Resort in Orlando, Fla. The Irish took advantage of the opportunity to knock the rust off from their winter layoff, while enjoying a weekend with many of the Notre Dame alums in the central Florida region.
Junior tri-captain Cole Isban was the low individual scorer for the Irish at the event, posting a four-over par 144 (75-69), followed by two players at eight-over par 148 – senior tri-captain Mark Baldwin (78-70) and freshman Josh Sandman (76-72).
The team competition was played as a “best 2-of-4” format with two Irish players pairing up with two alums to count the best gross and net scores on each hole. Senior Eric Deutsch and junior Shane Sigsbee, along with Notre Dame graduate Anthony Dill (’91) and his father-in-law Bill Schifino, won the title with a score of eight-under par 134.
The Notre Dame men’s golf program wishes to express its thanks to the Saddlebrook Resort, especially Greg Riehle (’79) and his wife, Diane (’82), for their warmth and hospitality in hosting this year’s Irish alumni matches.
Last Tournament – CordeValle Collegiate
In what will surely go down as one of the more bizarre episodes in the 77-year history of the Notre Dame men’s golf program, the Irish were disqualified from the 16-team field at the CordeValle Collegiate on Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at the CordeValle Golf Club (par 72/7,169 yards) in San Martin, Calif.
Two Notre Dame players – senior Scott Gustafson and junior Cole Isban – discovered they had played the incorrect ball on the first hole of the first round while paired together with a duo from Northwestern. Although it could not be determined exactly when the violation occurred, both Irish golfers chose to disqualify themselves from the remainder of the tournament. Thus, Notre Dame was left with only three eligible golfers and could not post a team score, so it was disqualified as a team (and subsequently forced to take 15 losses on its record).
While Gustafson and Isban were disqualified, the remaining three Notre Dame golfers were eligible to compete on an individual basis. In his first tournament of the season, sophomore Eddie Peckels fired a four-over par 220 (74-70-76) and tied for 34th place. Meanwhile, sophomore Mike King had a share of the first-round lead after carding a career-low 68 (-4), but he slipped back a bit to tie for 45th place at seven-over par 223 (68-78-77). Senior Mark Baldwin started slowly, but finished strong and tied for 47th place at eight-over par 224 (78-75-71).
Thumbnails On The Irish Lineup
Cole Isban (72.67 stroke average; third on team) – Ranked No. 68 in nation by Golfweek … posted career bests with first-place tie and 210 (-6) score at 2005 Shoal Creek Intercollegiate … tied for 11th at Prestige at PGA WEST (217, +1) … has started 30 of a possible 31 tournaments in his two-plus seasons at Notre Dame (only miss: 2004 Fossum/TaylorMade Invitational when starters were rested prior to NCAA Central Regional) … has been exceptionally reliable, as 75 of his 82 collegiate rounds (.915) have counted towards the team score (third-best percentage by Irish golfer since 1990) … career 74.39 stroke average is tops in school history (second: 74.43 by Charles Thurn, 1956-58) … 2005 PING/All-Midwest Region selection (first Irish player to earn regional or national accolades since 1980) … two-time all-BIG EAST Conference honoree (2004, 2005) … has qualified for past two U.S. Amateur Championships.
Mark Baldwin (72.58; second on team) – Presently ranked 76th in nation by Golfweek … has team-best seven rounds of par or better this season … tied for 10th (219, +3) at season-opening Gopher Invitational … tied for 14th (218, +2) at Shoal Creek Intercollegiate … tied for sixth (210, -6) at Coca-Cola Duke Classic … has ended up 20th or higher in nine of past 12 events (eight times in 2005 calendar year) … has seen 31 of his last 33 rounds (.939) – and all nine this fall – counted towards the team score (not counting 2005 CordeValle after team DQ) … has six career top-10 finishes, with five of those coming in little more than one year … shot school and Warren Golf Course-record 63 (-7) in opening round of TCU dual match on April 9, 2005 … two-time all-BIG EAST (2003; 2005 – medalist).
Scott Gustafson (72.17; first on team) – 42nd-ranked player in nation by Golfweek and 87th in the Golfstat Cup standings … all 12 rounds this year have counted to team score (not including CordeValle after team DQ) … led team with 218 (+2) at Gopher Invitational … tacked on eighth-place tie at Coca-Cola Duke Classic with 211 (-5) … tied for third at Prestige at PGA WEST (214, -2) for his eight career top-10 finish, 13th team-leading finish (tied-third in school history) and best showing since a third-place finish (210) at the 2003 SMU/Stonebridge Invitational … also played 100th collegiate round in final circuit at Gopher Invitational … second among Irish veterans with 75.18 career stroke average (ninth in school history) … 2003 all-BIG EAST selection.
Mike King (76.78; seventh on team) – Tied for 45th at CordeValle Collegiate to end the fall, firing a career-low 68 (-4) in the opening round en route to a score of 223 (+7) … tied for 44th place at The Prestige (226, +10), including opening-round 71 (-1) … had three top-10 finishes in nine starts as a rookie, including tie for ninth at the BIG EAST Championship. Greg Rodgers (75.56; fifth on team) – Second-year player who made travel squad three times during the fall … best finish came in The Prestige at PGA WEST, when he tied for 50th place (227, +11) … lowest score was an eight-over par 224 at the Coca-Cola Duke Classic … seven of his nine fall rounds counted to the team score.
Next Up For The Irish
Notre Dame returns to the links March 12-13 for the General Jim Hackler Invitational, hosted by Coastal Carolina at the TPC of Myrtle Beach in Murrells Inlet, S.C. The Irish were the tournament runner-up last year, posting a 54-hole score of 27-over 891 (299-294-298), led by Shane Sigsbee’s second-place individual showing at one-under par 215 (73-70-72). This year’s 15-team field is highlighted by (GCAA) No. 17 Texas Tech and 21st-ranked East Tennessee State.