Sept. 29, 2000
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Notre Dame senior Shane Smith stands tied for seventh place-just four shots off the pace-while the Irish women’s golf team is 12th in the 16-team field, following first-day action at the Midwest’s annual rotating tournament, the Lady Northern Intercollegiate.
Smith posted a five-over 77 at the 5,969-yard University of Minnesota Golf Course and heads into Saturday’s second of three rounds within striking distance of Ohio State Mollie Fankhauser, who used an opening 73 to claim the first-round lead.
Notre Dame turned in a first-round score of 328 in the play-six, count-four format, with freshman Rebecca Rogers carding an 83 while junior Kristin McMurtrie and freshman Shannon Byrne posted matching 84s. Sophomore Priscilla Ro (85) and freshman Jeanne Murphy (86) rounded out the Irish contingent.
Purdue (309) leads the team competition, followed closely by Ohio State (310), Kent State (311) and the host Gophers (312). Notre Dame heads into Saturday’s action just seven strokes out of eighth place while closely trailing Iowa (3240 and Illinois (323).
TEAM RESULTS (18 of 54 holes): 1. Purdue 309, 2. Ohio State 310, 3. Kent State 311, 4. Minnesota 312, 5. Indiana 314, Northwestern 314, 7. Michigan 315, 8. Michigan State 321, 9. Penn State 322, 10. Illinois 323, 11. Iowa 324, 12. Notre Dame 328, 13. Ohio University 331, 14. Northern Iowa 332, 15. Wisconsin 334, 16. Illinois State 335.
TOP INDIVIDUALS (of 96): 1. Mollie Fankhauser (OSU) 73, 2. Kari Damron (PUR) 75, Beronique Drouin (KENT) 75, Katie Kinsinger (PUR) 75, 5. Natalia Tucker (IND) 76, Megan Stier (MINN) 76, 7. Shane Smith (ND) 77, Jenny Brunn (MINN) 77, Bess Bowers (MICH) 77, Cortney Reno (MICH) 77.
OTHER NOTRE DAME SCORES: 57. Rebecca Rogers 83, 67. Kristin McMurtrie 84, Shannon Byrne 84, 76. Priscilla Ro 85, 82. Jeanne Murphy 86.