March 10, 2013
MESA, Ariz. – The No. 22 University of Notre Dame women’s golf team closed out the second annual Clover Cup on the Longbow Golf Club’s par-72 course (6,209 yards) with a three-round total of 28-over-par 892 (298-298-296) finishing fifth out of the 16 teams in the field.
No. 5 Oklahoma captured the top spot on the team leaderboard the final day after firing a two-under-par 862 (281-289-292). No. 34 SMU was the tournament runner-up with a final team score of 16-over-par 862 (299-284-297). No. 16 Texas Tech finished just two strokes behind the Mustangs to land in third with an 18-over-par 882 (296-293-293). The Sooners were the only team in the tournament to fire all three rounds under par.
The Irish finished a mere stroke behind fourth place Tulsa (303-295-293). Notre Dame was just one of four teams in the tournament to fire each of the three rounds under 300 strokes.
Notre Dame defeated two top-50 ranked teams, which included No. 27 Northwestern (6th) and No. 41 Mississippi (9th). The Irish posted a perfect 5-0 record against the Big Ten conference. Notre Dame is now 3-0 against Michigan and Kansas on the year. The Irish keep a perfect 2-0 record this season against BIG EAST opponents after taking down Georgetown today and USF earlier in the year. Notre Dame advances their record to 65-23-0.
Tulsa’s Kristina Merkle won the tournament posting a six-under-par 210 (72-72-66). Oklahoma’s Chirapat Jao-Javanil chased close after carding a four-under-par 212 (71-70-71).
Lindsey Weaver moved up the leaderboard the final day after beginning in 12-place and tying for ninth with Cincinnati’s Olivia Dose. Weaver finished with a one-over-par 217 (73-72-72). Weaver fired a three-under-par 33 on the back nine and capped off the day with an eagle on the 495-yard par five. The eagle marks as her third of the season.
Weaver moves into double digits with her total of even or under par rounds on the year as she currently now has 10. Weaver narrowly missed out by a stoke in gathering her fourth tournament in which she fired even or under par in all combined rounds.
Talia Campbell fired her second-best round on the year with a four-over-par-220 (73-74-73) to tie for 12th after starting the final round in 14th.
Armstrong tied for 19th place after starting 21st on the final day firing a seven-over-par-223 (75-74-74). Armstrong’s outing was the best tournament score through the five she has participated in on the year as she previously has fired an-eight-over-par 224 on two occasions.
Weaver and Talia Campbell each defeated five top-100 ranked players while Armstrong surpassed four of them.
Kristina Nhim moved up a spot on the final day to tie for 54th place with a final scorecard of 16-over-par-232 (77-78-77).
Kelli Oride finished with a 24-over-par 240 (79-80-81) to tie for 77th in the field of 94 competitors.
“We got off to a rough start, but overall we put a nice run together at the end,” says head coach Susan Holt. “We are still searching to piece together a solid 18-hole round, but I saw a lot of positives in today’s closing round. Our focus now moves toward our next tournament in Augusta, Ga. and working towards a great scorecard next weekend.”
The Irish will compete next at the Insperity Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate Tournament in Augusta, Ga. March 15-17.
–ND–
Teams (Top-10): 1. Oklahoma (862); 2. SMU (880); 3. Texas Tech (882); 4. Tulsa (891); 5. Notre Dame (892); 6. Northwestern (893); 7. FIU (896); 8. Minnesota (904); 9. Mississippi (906); 10. Colorado (913).
Individual (Top-5): 1. Merkle (Tulsa) 210; 2. Jao-Javanil (Oklahoma) 212; T3. Haglund (SMU) 214; T3. Collins (Oklahoma) 214; T5. Kaufman (Texas Tech) 215; T5. Lee (Northwestern) 215; T5. Schmidt (Oklahoma) 215.
Notre Dame: T9. Lindsey Weaver 217 (73-72-72); T12. Talia Campbell 220 (73-74-73); T19. Ashley Armstrong 223 (75-74-74); T54. Kristina Nhim 232 (77-78-77); T77. Kelli Oride 240 (79-80-81).