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Notre Dame Tied For Eighth After 36 Holes At Indiana Invitational

April 5, 2003

Bloomington, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team battled the cold, the wind and the Indiana University Golf Course on Saturday and finished the first 36 holes tied for eighth in the 11-team field with a 645 total (327-318). Saturday’s opening round got off to a slow start as the wind chill registered 26 degrees in 14 m.p.h. winds. The Irish go into Sunday’s final 18 holes 34 strokes behind tourney leader Purdue. The Boilermakers fired a 36-hole total of 19-over par 611 (307-304) on the par 74, 6,134-yard course.

Purdue will take a three-stroke lead over Missouri (614 (309-305) into the final round of play. The host school, Indiana University, is third after shooting a 620 (317-303). Kent State is in fourth-place, 10 strokes behind Purdue, with a 621 (307-314) and Wisconsin rounds out the top five with a 624 (318-306).

Individually, Katie Brophy (Fr., Spokane, Wash.) is Notre Dame’s top golfer as she is tied for 16th after 36 holes of play. The freshman got off to a slow start with the tough weather conditions, shooting an opening round 82. She bounced back in the afternoon to shoot an even-par 74 to give her a 156 total. That puts Brophy 10 strokes behind the tournament leader, Kim Benedict of Michigan, who fired a two-under par 146 (72-74). Benedict is the only golfer to be under par after 36 holes. She will take a three-stroke lead into Sunday’s final round. Wisconsin’s Katie Connelly is second with a 149 (76-73) and Heather Suhr (Purdue) is five strokes back with a 151 (77-74). Four golfers are tied for fourth at 152.

For the Irish, sophomore Karen Lotta (Los Angeles, Calif.) follows Brophy and is tied for 31st with a 162 (84-78). Freshman Suzie Hayes (Dublin, Ireland), who had Notre Dame’s best score in the first round with an 81, followed with an 83 for a 164, which puts her in a tie for 38th. Sarah Bassett (Fr., Spokane, Wash.) is tied for 41st after rounds of 82 and 83 for a 165. Shannon Byrne (Jr., Arlington Heights, Ill.) is tied for 45th with a 166 (82-84) and Terri Taibl (Sr., Elm Grove, Wis.) rounds out the Irish lineup tied for 60th with a 172 (88-84).

The start of Sunday’s final round of play has been pushed back to 10:30 a.m. (EST), 9:30 a.m. (CST). Remember, Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday. Indiana stays on EST, as its clocks never change.

TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals): 1. Purdue 307-304-611; 2. Missouri 309-305-614; 3. Indiana 317-303-620; 4. Kent State 307-314-621; 5. Wisconsin 318-306-624; 6. Michigan 322-313-635; 7. Arkansas-Little Rock 323-317-640; t8. Notre Dame 327-318-645; Minnesota 323-322-645; 10. Iowa 324-332-656; 11. Illinois State 331-336-667.

TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 72): 1. Kim Benedict (Michigan) 72-74-146; 2. Katie Connelly (Wisconsin) 76-73-149; 3. Heather Suhr (Purdue) 77-74-151; t4. Maria Svensson (Arkansas-Little Rock) 79-73-152; Martina Gillen (Kent State) 76-76-152; Maria Ohlsson (Missouri) 77-75-152; Beth Hermes (Purdue) 76-76-152; t8. Karen Dennison (Indiana) 78-75-153; Elin Ohlsson (Missouri) 77-76-153; t10. Kelli Strubinger (Missouri) 79-75-154; O. Sattaybanphot (Purdue) 78-76-154.

NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 72): t16. Katie Brophy 82-74-156; t31. Karen Lotta 84-78-162; t38. Suzie Hayes 81-83-164; t41. Sarah Bassett 82-83-165; t45. Shannon Byrne 82-84-166; t60. Terri Taibl 88-84-172.