April 22, 2000

AKRON, Ohio - The Notre Dame men's golf team turned in a solid first day at the First Energy Intercollegiate, as the Irish stand tied for fifth-and just four shots out of second-following two rounds of play Saturday at the par-72, 7,029-yard Firestone Country Club.

Senior captain Todd Vernon led the Irish in the opening day with a 146 total, improving on his morning round (75) for a 71 in the afternoon. Vernon is tied for ninth in the 100-player field and is just three shots out of second, with Ohio State's David Wagenseller (68-73/141) leading the individual competition.

Notre Dame was tied for second after posting a 296 in the morning round but slipped back to fifth with a 302 in the afternoon action. Sophomore Steve Ratay bounced back from his struggles this spring by posting rounds of 72-76 (148) while junior Alex Kent carded solid scores of 74-76 (150). Senior Jeff Connell (77-79/156) and junior Adam Anderson (75-82/157) rounded out the Irish five-man contingent.

Ohio State (282-291/573) holds a comfortable 21-stroke cushion on the three teams that are tied for second at 594: Wisconsin, Kent and Iowa.

NOTES: Vernon owns ND's top stroke average for the spring (75.14) and for all of 1999-2000 (74.12, third-best in Irish history and best since 1956) ... Connell (75.64) owns the team's second-best spring average, followed by Kent (76.57), Ratay (76.64) and Anderson (78.55) ... Vernon leads Ratay by a total of nine strokes for all of 1999-2000 (74.12 to 74.48) ... other full-season averages include Kent (75.28), Connell (75.50) and Anderson (77.14) ... Vernon has factored in the count-four team score during his last 15 rounds and in 24 of 25 overall in 1999-2000 ... Ratay also has counted in 24 of 25 rounds, Connell in 20 of 24, Kent in 19 of 25 and Anderson in 13 of 22 ... Vernon (75.43), Connell (75.84) and Ratay (76.05) remain in the No. 6-8 spots on the Notre Dame career stroke-average list (Vernon ranks second-best since 1970) ... Vernon has counted in 88 of 102 career rounds (88.2 pct., third-best by an ND players since 1990) while Connell has counted in 75 of 88 (85.2 pct.) ... ND's 1999-2000 season stroke average of 298.04 (per four-man score) still is on pace to best the team record of 298.33, set in 1997-98.

TEAM STANDINGS (36 holes of 54): 1. Ohio State 282-291/573, 2. Wisconsin 304-290/594, Kent 304-290/594, Iowa 296-298/594, 5. Notre Dame 296-302/598, Toledo 305-293/598, Purdue 299-299/598, 8. Penn State 305-302/607, 9. Eastern Michigan 308-300/608, 10. Indiana 307-303/610, Wright State 303-307/610, 12. Illinois 309-302/611, 13. Ohio 302-310/612, Bowling Green 304-308/612, 15. Miami of Ohio 308-37/615, 16. Ball State 314-304/618, 17. Akron 314-307/621, 18. Northern Illinois 309-313/622, 19. Xavier 313-312/625, 20. Marquette 323-314/637.

TOP INDIVIDUALS (of 100): 1. David Wagenseller (OSU) 68-73/141, 2. Mike Austin (OSU) 70-73/143, David Jones (TOL) 73-70/143, 4. Todd Anderson (WIS) 73-71/144, Jason Olen (OSU) 71-73-144, 6. Ben Curtis (KENT) 74-71/145, Adam Turner (IOWA) 75-70/145, Ryan Dennis (OSU) 73-72/145, 9. Todd Vernon (ND) 75-71/146, four others at 146.

OTHER NOTRE DAME SCORES: 14. Steve Ratay 72-76/148, 20. Alex Kent 74-76/150, 67. Jeff Connell 77-79/156, 73. Adam Anderson 75-82/157.