March 16, 2013
AUGUSTA, Ga. –The University of Notre Dame women’s golf team moved into third place Saturday afternoon after concluding the second day of the 54-hole Insperity Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate Tournament by firing a two-over-par 290, giving the Irish a 36-hole total of 593 (+17) through two of the three rounds played on the Forest Hills Golf Club’s par-72 (6,214 yards) course.
Notre Dame’s second round score of 290 ties for the second-best round of the season for the Irish and stands as the best round shot this spring.
The Irish enter the final day Sunday sitting just seven strokes behind second-place Purdue (295-291-586) and 10 stokes behind the current leader Vanderbilt (290-293-583). Notre Dame moved past fourth-place Augusta State by four strokes (305-294-599).
“Our goal is to get back to being a top-25 team,” said head coach Susan Holt. “Our focus was to win the day against the three-top 25 teams in this tournament and we accomplished that feat. Overall I am very pleased with how we played.”
The Irish advanced three of its roster members to the top seven positions on the leaderboard in the field of 99 competitors.
Ashley Armstrong currently leads the Irish through the second round of play as the sophomore leapt from the 21st spot to fourth on the leaderboard with a three-under-par 69, adding to her 36-hole total of a 145 (+1). Armstrong birdied three holes and did not surrender a single bogey on the day. The round is Armstrong’s best of the year through the 15 rounds played, overtaking her previous best of a 72-even par. Armstrong is just three strokes from tying the current leading score held by Augusta State’s Natalie Wille (70-72-142). She is also two behind Vanderbilt’s Jenny Hahn (70-73-143) and one behind the Commodores’ Lauren Stratton (69-75-144).
Talia Campbell tied her seasonal best round of a one-under-par 71, which the freshman accomplished for the second time through the 18 rounds she has played in. Campbell holds a four-over-par 148 score through the first 36 holes and is currently tied for seventh after beginning in 26th place.
Lindsey Weaver and Kelli Oride each fired a three-over-par 75. Weaver is tied with Campbell in seventh after carding a one-over-par 73 during the first round for a 36-hole total of 148.
Oride moved up the ranks on the second day as she started in 71st place and finished in 42nd place with a 36-hole total of a 13-over-par 157. Oride joined Campbell with four birdies on the day.
Kristina Nhim carded a 36-hole total of a 14-over-par 158, tying for 50th place.
The Irish return to Forest Hill’s Golf Club tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. for a shotgun start to being the final round of the Insperity Lady Jaguar Intercollegiate Tournament.
Teams (Top-10): 1. Vanderbilt 583, 2. Purdue 586, 3. Notre Dame 593, 4. Augusta State 599, T5. Coastal Carolina 604, T5. East Carolina 604, T7. East Tennessee St. 609, T7. Texas 609, 9. Kentucky 622, 10. UTSA 623.
Individuals: (Top-5): 1. Natalie Wille (Augusta State) 142, 2. Jenny Hahn (Vanderbilt) 143, 3. Lauren Stratton (Vanderbilt) 144, T4. Ashley Armstrong (Notre Dame) 145, T4. Kishi Sinha (Purdue) 145.
Notre Dame: T4. Ashley Armstrong (76-69-145), T7. Talia Campbell (77-71-148), T7. Lindsey Weaver (73-75-148), T42. Kelli Oride (82-75-157), T50. Kristina Nhim (77-81-158).
–ND–