March 13, 2002
Notre Dame, Ind. – The Notre Dame women’s golf team begins play in the 16th annual Snowbird Invitational on Thurday, March 14 with the final round of action scheduled for Friday, March 15. The 22-team tournament will be played at the 5,940 yard, par 72 Pebblecreek Golf Course in Tampa, Fla.
Coach Debby King’s squad will look to improve upon their 14th-place finish at the Tulane Green Wave Classic on Mar. 4-5 as they are on their final southern trip of the spring before returning to play in the north in coming weeks.
A year ago, the Irish finished ninth in a 17-team field at the Snowbird Invitational and were led by Shannon Byrne (So., Arlington Heights, Ill.) and Terri Taibl (Jr., Elm Grove, Wis.) as both golfers tied for 12th with 14-over par totals of 158. Byrne had rounds of 78 and 80 while Taibl shot a pair of 79’s.
Through the first two tournaments of the spring schedule, the Irish have been led by freshman Karen Lotta (Los Angeles, Calif.) who has a 79.25 average and for the year owns a 79.64 mark.
Lotta is followed by Byrne on the season as she has recorded an 81.40 average in six events this season. Byrne finished in a tie for 45th at the Green Wave Classic.
Kristin McMurtrie (Sr., Calgary, Alb.) was the team’s top finisher at the Green Wave Classic as she tied for 34th in the 85-player field. McMurtrie had rounds of 82 and 81 for a 163 total. On the year, she has an 81.92 average.
Taibl and Rebecca Rogers (So., Alpharetta, Ga.) round out the top five golfers on the 2001-02 team. Taibl has an 83.08 average and will look to duplicate her finish of a year ago. Rogers checks in with an 84.42 mark in five tournaments this year.
Also on the Florida trip are senior Lauren Fuchs (Louisville, Ky.) and freshman Casey Rotella (Keswick, Va.). Fuchs has an 85.07 average for the year and Rotella, who made her first start in the scoring five at the Green Wave Classic, has an 85.75 average in three events this season.
Following the Snowbird Invitational, the Irish are not in action again until April 6-7 when they participate in the Indiana Invitational in Bloomington, Ind.