March 22, 2006
HONOLULU, Hawaii – The Notre Dame women’s golf team fired a third round score of 303 to finish the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational in fourth-place with a 54-hole total of 906 (299-304-303) at the par 71, 5,651-yard Klipper Golf Course on Wednesday afternoon. Junior Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, Ill./Hoffman Estates) led the Irish as she carded an eight-over par 221 (74-71-76) to place seventh overall.
Tennessee, the No. 16 team in the latest golfstat.com rankings, increased its lead from Tuesday by shooting a tournament-best round of 280 on Wednesday to take the team title with a four-over par 856 (288-288-280). New Mexico placed second out of the 11-team field with an 894 (301-295-298). Notre Dame was just edged out of third-place as LSU notched a 905 (294-318-293), which was one shot better than the Irish, who were competing in Hawaii for the first time in program history.
The Volunteers swept the top four individual spots with Marci Turner taking home medalist honors with a three-under par 210 (75-71-64), including a tournament-best round of 64 (-7) on Wednesday.
Notre Dame senior Lauren Gebauer (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) collected her first top-10 finish of the season as she placed in a tie for ninth with a 10-over par 223 (74-75-74).
Fighting Irish freshman Lisa Maunu (St. Thomas, Ontario/Parkside Collegiate Institute) posted another solid round of 76 on Wednesday to finish with a 229 (75-78-76) total and tied for 22nd. Senior Suzie Hayes (Dublin, Ireland/Loreto College) concluded the tournament with a 236 (76-80-80) to place 40th for the Irish.
Hayes’ classmate Katie Brophy (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep) carded her best round of the tournament on Wednesday with a six-over par 77 to finish with a 238 (79-82-77) and tied for 43rd.
The Fighting Irish also had two golfers playing as individual entrants in the tournament. Sophomore Alejandra Diaz-Calderon (Guadalajara, Mexico/American) registered a 239 (79-79-81) to tie for 48th and freshman Courtney Sullivan (Gresham, Ore./Sam Barlow) posted a 251 (81-81-89) to tie for 59th.
Next up for the Irish will be a trip to Harrisonburg, Va. to take part in the James Madison University Invitational, Apr. 8-9, at the Lakeview Golf Course. For additional information please log on to und.com or call the Notre Dame athletics hotline at (574) 631-3000.
Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational (Klipper Golf Course – Honolulu, Hawaii, Par 71, 5,651-yards)
Team Scores (54-hole totals): 1. Tennessee 856 (288-288-280), 2. New Mexico 894 (301-295-298), 3. LSU 905 (294-318-293), 4. Notre Dame 906 (299-304-303), 5. Hawaii 907 (310-302-295), 6. UTEP 915 (313-299-303), 7. Kansas State 918 (303-313-302), 8. Princeton 924 (308-308-308), 9. British Columbia 937 (312-309-316), 10. Osaka Gakuin 939 (307-309-323), 11. Hawaii-Hilo 973 (321-335-317).
Top-5 Golfers (out of 63) (54-hole totals): 1. Marci Turner (Tennessee) 210 (75-71-64), 2. Golda Johansson (Tennessee) 214 (70-73-71), 3. Nicole Smith (Tennessee) 216 (72-72-72), 4. Violeta Retamoza (Tennessee) 217 (72-72-73), 5. Mikaela Backstedt (New Mexico) 218 (74-73-71).
Notre Dame Scores (54-hole totals): 7. Noriko Nakazaki 221 (74-71-76), 9t. Lauren Gebauer 223 (74-75-74), 22t. Lisa Maunu 229 (75-78-76), 40. Suzie Hayes 236 (76-80-80), 43t. Katie Brophy 238 (79-82-77), 48t. Alejandra Diaz-Calderon* 239 (79-79-81), 59t. Courtney Sullivan* 251 (81-81-89).
*-individual entrant
— ND —