Oct. 8, 2010
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Notre Dame women’s golf team currently sits in sixth place after the first round of the three-day (Oct.8-10) Mercedes-Benz Championship at the Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville, Tenn. The Irish posted a 295 (+7) 18-hole total and are being led by freshman Nicole Zhang (Calgary, Alberta/ Bishop Carroll) and seniors So-Hyun Park (Seoul, South Korea/Bradenton (Fla.) Preparatory Academy) and Katie Conway (Wading River, N.Y/Shoreham-Wading River) who all carded a 73 (+1) at the conclusion of the first round.
Leading the tournament is Tennessee at 280 (-8), followed by Arkansas and Mississippi tied for second (291/+3). Texas Christian University is in fourth (294/+5) and Kent State is leading the Irish by one stroke at 294 (+6) in fifth place.
The Irish leaders played a consistent 18-holes on the day as Zhang, Park and Conway all shot one-over par on the day and are tied for 12th place. Junior Becca Huffer (Denver, Colo./Littleton) and freshman Kristina Nhim (Cypress, Calif./Cypress) rounded out the team scores, posting 76 a (+4) and a 78 (+6), respectively. Huffer is tied for 42nd, while Nhim is tied for 56th. Senior Katie Allare (Phoenix, Ariz./Xavier Prep.) competed individually for Notre Dame and shot a five-over par 77 that puts her in a tie for 48th.
The tournament continues tomorrow with the second round of play. Tee times are scheduled to commence at 9:00 a.m. Live hole-by-hole scoring of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz Championship is available through Golfstat. To access the site go to http://www.golfstatresults.com. A full recap of the second round will be available at und.com.
Mercedes-Benz Invitational – Holston Hills Country Club, Par 72, 6,302 yards
Top-Six Team Scores (18-holes): 1. Tennessee (280/-8); t2. Mississippi (291/+3); t2. Arkansas (291/+3); 4. Texas Christian University (293/+5); 5. Kent State (294/+6); 6. Notre Dame (295/+7).
Top-Five Golfers (18-holes): 1. Erica Popson (Tennessee, 67); t2. Nathalie Mansson (Tennessee, 69); t2. Kelli Shean (Arkansas, 69); t4. Natalie Gleadall (Mississippi); t4. Betsie Johnson (Kentucky, 70); t4. Sara Monberg (Tennessee, 70); t4. Rachel Raastad (TCU, 70).
–ND–