March 15, 2003
Tuscaloosa, Ala. -
The Notre Dame men's golf team shot a second-round total of 25-over par 309 to slide to 12th place after 36 holes at the Conrad Rehling Alabama Spring Invitational on Saturday. The Irish have a two-day total of 610 (301-309) heading into Sunday's final round at the par 71, 6996-yard Capstone course.
Auburn continues to lead the 54-hole tournament aftering shooting a second-round score of 286. The Tigers are two-over par with a 570 (284-286) and have an eight-stroke lead over second-place Kentucky. The Wildcats have a 10-over par total of 578 (287-291) after 36 holes of play. Tournament-host Alabama is one stroke behind Kentucky and nine strokes off the lead with a 579 (287-292). Illinois (292-291) and Southeastern Louisiana (290-293) are tied in fourth place with 583 after two rounds.
Notre Dame's top golfer after 36 holes is freshman Scott Gustafson (Eden Praire, Minn.) who is tied for 26th with a seven-over par 149. Gustafson followed an opening-round 72 with a score of 77 in the second round. Gustafson is 11 strokes behind tournament leader Jay Mundy of Auburn. Mundy is four-under par with a 138, firing a round of 70 on Friday and a second-round score of three-under par 68.
Southeastern Louisiana's Steven Tiley is in second place, two strokes behind Mundy with a 140 (71-69). Two Fighting Illini are tied in third place with a one-under par score of 141, James Lepp (73-68) and Patrick Nagle (70-71). Rounding out the top five is Toledo's Sean McTernan who is even par with a 142 (69-73).
Following Gustafson for the Irish are fellow freshmen Tommy Balderston (Boca Raton, Fla.) and Mark Baldwin (Fr., Laconia, N.H.). Balderston has a two-round total of 151 (74-77), placing him in a tie for 39th. Baldwin is one stroke behind Balderston after shooting rounds of 74 and 78 for a total of 10-over par 152.
Senior
Brandon Lunke (San Antonio, Texas) is tied in 63rd place after shooting a 77 for a total of 158 (81-77).
Eric Deutsch (Fr., Rochester, Minn.) rounds out the Irish contingent with a 165 (84-81).
The final round of play will start at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday with tee times based on the tournament standings.
TEAM RESULTS (36-hole totals): 1. Auburn 284-286-570; 2. Kentucky 287-291-578; 3. Alabama 287-292-579; t4. Illinois 292-291-583; Southeastern Louisiana 290-293-583; 6. Toledo 294-290-584; 7. Michigan State 302-290-592; 8. Alabama-Birmingham 293-300-593; 9. Mississippi 299-297-596; 10. Louisiana State 298-305-603; 11. Purdue 294-310-604; 12. Notre Dame 301-309-610; 13. Mississippi State 309-319-628.
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS (of 70): 1. Jay Mundy (Auburn) 70-68-138; 2. Steve Tiley (Southeastern Louisiana) 71-69-140; t3. James Lepp (Illinois) 73-68-141; Patrick Nagle (Illinois) 70-71-141; 5. Sean McTernan (Toledo) 69-73-142; t6. Mark O'Sullivan (Southeastern Louisiana) 71-72-143; Will Claxton (Auburn) 72-71-143; t8. John Holmes (Kentucky) 72-72-144; Tyler McKeever 72-72-144; t10. Brad Heaven (Toledo) 74-71-145; Austin Hynson (Alabama) 71-74-145; Lee Williams (Auburn) 70-75-145; Brandon Waldrop (Kentucky) 72-73-145; Brett Bergeron (Southeastern Louisiana) 71-74-145; Ben Fox (Michigan State) 73-72-145; * Clint Provost (Alabama) 71-74-145.
NOTRE DAME PLAYERS (of 70): t26. Scott Gustafson 72-77-149; t39. Tommy Balderston 74-77-151; t49. Mark Baldwin 74-78-152; t63. Brandon Lunke 81-77-158; 68. Eric Deutsch 84-81-165.
*Individual entrant
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