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Women’s Golf Opens 2019-20 Season At Minnesota Invitational

NOTRE DAME, Ind.The Fighting Irish women’s golf program will open the 2019-20 season on September 9 at the Minnesota Invitational in Woodbury, Minnesota at the Prestwick Golf Club.

“We’re really looking forward to the start of the season,” head coach Susan Holt said. “The team has been very focused and working hard the past few weeks and I know they are excited to start competing.”

It marks the third consecutive season the Irish are opening the year at the Minnesota Invitational. Last season, Notre Dame placed seventh (292-295-295=882) in a 15-team field. Then freshman Claire Albrecht paced the Irish, posting her best finish of the season in her first career event as she tied for 14th (75-72-72=219). 

“This has been a good starting event for our team the past few years and I think this year will prove to be the same,” Holt continued. “It’s a fun course to play that, if managed well, will produce low scores. Everyone needs to get a solid game plan in place during our practice round and stay committed to it. If everyone can execute their plan, I am confident we will be competitive.”

At the 2017 Minnesota Invitational, then junior Isabella DiLisio’s final round 67 propelled the Irish to a tie for third (284-289-281=854) in the 14-team field. The 854 (-10) set the program record for a a par-72/54-hole tournament (in relation to par), while the final round 281 remains tied for the seventh-lowest round in the Irish records book. 

Current junior Abby Heck played in the last two Minnesota Invitationals, including an opening round 73 in 2018. Her stroke average in six previous rounds at Prestwick is 74.0.

The 2019 Minnesota Invitational

Dates: September 9-10, 2019
Format: 54 holes (36 holes Monday, 18 holes Tuesday)
Tee Times: Monday will be split tee start, beginning at 8:40 a.m. ET off #1 and at 9:16 a.m. ET off #10; Tuesday’s shotgun start will begin at 9:15 a.m. ET.
Location: Woodbury, Minnesota
Course (Par/Yardage): Prestwick Golf Club (par-72/ 6,297 yards)
Tournament Field (15): Minnesota (host), Miami, Georgia, Louisville, East Carolina, Virginia Tech, UTSA, San Jose State, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, San Francisco, Long Beach State, Notre Dame.
Notre Dame Lineup: Lauren Beaudreau (1), Abby Heck (2), Madelyn Jones (3), Claire Albrecht (4), Mia Ayer (5). In addition, Jessica Meyers will compete as an individual.
Live Scoring: Golfstat.com
Twitter: @NDwomensGolf

Folds of Honor
The Fighting Irish women’s golf program has teamed up with the Folds of Honor Military Tribute Program (FHMTP) for the 2019-20 season.

  • The program provides the opportunity for collegiate golf teams to honor a fallen or severely wounded American soldier by selecting a student-athlete to carry a golf bag displaying the name, rank and branch of service of the soldier being honored throughout the year. 
  • Fighting Irish senior Mia Ayer will have the honor of carrying Notre Dame’s FHMTP golf bag for the 2019-20 season, which honors the memory of Captain Reid Nishizuka ’05. 
  • Reid Nishizuka, a U.S. Air Force Captain, died in service to his country on April 27, 2013, near Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Reid was a recipient of 10 Air Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, two Air Force Achievement Medals and a Bronze Star for Heroism. 
  • Throughout the season, the Notre Dame women’s golf team will also raise funds with the proceeds benefiting the Folds of Honor (FOH). 
  • Through scholarships and other assistance, Folds of Honor gives back to the spouses and children of soldiers killed or disabled in service to our country 
  • Details of Notre Dame’s fundraising efforts will be released as the season progresses.

Career Best Rounds (most recent occurrence listed)

  • Claire Albrecht: 72 (third round of the 2018 Minnesota Invitational)
  • Mia Ayer: 71 (third round of the 2018 Schooner Fall Classic)
  • Abby Heck: 68 (first round of the 2019 Moon Golf Invitational)

Notre Dame Under Coach Holt

  • Head Coach Susan Holt is in her 14th season leading the Fighting Irish in 2019-20.
  • Under Holt, Notre Dame made the first NCAA Championship berth in program history (2011), won four Conference Championships and also has made 10 NCAA regional appearances.
  • A six-time conference Coach of the Year, Holt has seen 34 of her players earn NGCA/WGCA All-Scholar Team honors, while 46 of her players have earned conference all-academic team honors. 
  • She has also helped the team lower its season stroke average by more than 10 strokes since she arrived on the scene in 2006.
  • Holt also recruited and coached Notre Dame’s first LPGA Tour member, Becca Huffer, who played on the tour during the 2019-20 season. 

New Faces

  • Three freshmen have joined the Irish for the 2019-20 season, including Lauren Beaudreau (Lemont, Illinois/Benet Academy), Madelyn Jones (Austin, Texas/Westlake High School) and Jessica Meyers (Wexford, Pennsylvania/Oakland Catholic High School). 
  • Following the 2018-19 season, four-year mainstays Emma Albrecht, Isabella DiLisio and Maddie Rose Hamilton each graduated.   

  

— ND —