April 17, 1999
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Notre Dame men's golf team resumed its
late push for a spot among the Midwest District's six-team contingent in
the NCAA Tournament by earning a share of seventh place at the 31st
annual Ohio State Kepler Intercollegiate, heading into Sunday's final
round.
The surging Irish-who have placed second and fourth in their
last two outings-opened play with a score of 310 on the par-72,
7,109-yard OSU Scarlet Golf Course before improving five strokes in the
afternoon round for a 615 total, matching Michigan State for seventh
place in the 15-team field. Notre Dame stands just one stroke behind
Michigan, four behind Miami (Ohio) and Illinois and nine behind
third-place Kent. Northwestern and Wisconsin head into the final round
as co-leaders, after posting two-round totals of 601.
Seniors Brad Hardin (Martinsville, Ind.) and Willie Kent-who
entered the day tied for the team stroke average lead (74.88)-led the
way for the Irish on Saturday. Hardin, who took runner-up honors at last
week's Marshall Invitational, is tied for 13th after posting rounds of
76-75. Kent-a two-time medalist in 1998-99-is just one stroke behind
after carding rounds of 77-75.
Hardin heads into the final round just five strokes behind
leader C.J. Brock of Wisconsin (74-72) and is just three shots out of
the top five.
Junior Todd Vernon turned in solid rounds of 78-76 for the Irish
while his classmate Jeff Connell stumbled to a second-round 82, after
opening with a 79. Freshman Chris Whitten posted an 87-79 in his first
action with the Irish starting five.
TEAM STANDINGS: 1. Northwestern 301-300/601; Wisconsin 303-298/601; 3.
Kent 311-295/606; 4. Illinois 305-306/611; Miami, Ohio 306-305/611;
6. Michigan 304-301/614; 7. Michigan State 314-301/615; Notre Dame
310-305/615; 9. Purdue 313-307/620; 10. Indiana 307-314/621; 11. Ohio
State 320-302/622; 12. Toledo 308-315/623; 13. Penn State 314-311/625;
14. Iowa 322-310/632; 15. Marshall 318-322/640.
TOP INDIVIDUALS (of 75): 1. C.J. Brock (WIS) 74-72/146; 2. Matt Pumford
(MSU) 75-72/147; Luke Donald (NW) 74-73/147; 4. Albert Hromulak (OSU)
73-75/148; Danny Sahl (KENT) 76-72/148; 6. Matt Abbott (PSU)
77-72/149; DA. Points (ILL) 73-76/149; Jess Daley (NW) 75-74/149.
NOTRE DAME SCORES: 13. Brad Hardin 76-75/151; 15. Willie Kent
77-75/152; 25. Todd Vernon 78-76/154; 59. Jeff Connell 79-82/161; 59.
Chris Whitten 87-79/166.
