Printer-Friendly Format     E-mail this article     Freshman Noriko Nakazaki carded an opening-round 75, helping Notre Dame take a two-shot lead at the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Intercollegiate in Kiawah Island, S.C.

 
Irish In First Place After Opening Round At Edwin Watts/Palmetto Intercollegiate

Three Notre Dame players among top 11 individuals, as Irish seek third tournament title of season.

Nov. 3, 2003

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. - On a day when the elements were as much a winner as anyone else, the Notre Dame women's golf team surged into first place after Monday's first round of the 2003 Edwin Watts/Palmetto Intercollegiate at famed Kiawah Island, S.C. The Irish dodged the raindrops throughout much of their round and carded a 13-over par 301, giving them a two-shot lead over Maryland, although seven teams are within eight strokes of Notre Dame's lead. The tournament, which is being hosted by the College of Charleston, is being contested at the par-72, 5,909-yard Oak Point Golf Course in Kiawah Island.

Freshman Stacy Brown (The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands HS) set the pace for the Irish on day one, firing a one-over par 73 to tie for fifth place on the individual ladder. Freshman Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, Ill./Hoffman Estates HS) and sophomore Katie Brophy (Spokane, Wash./Gonzaga Prep) also contributed to the Notre Dame effort, tying for 11th place with matching scores of three-over par 75. Junior Karen Lotta (Los Angeles, Calif./Marymount HS) is in a tie for 30th place after an opening-round 78, and senior co-captain Shannon Byrne (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove HS) completed the Irish scoring with a 79, good for 36th place overall.

In an interesting twist, four of the five Notre Dame golfers seemed to play better once the inclement weather arrived, shooting better scores on the back nine. Only Nakazaki struggled in the rain - she went out with a sparkling one-under 35, but came home at four-over 40.

The Irish are looking to tie a school record with their third tournament championship of the season. The 2000-01 Notre Dame squad won three titles, although two of those came during the spring season. This year's club already has wins at the Cougar Classic (also hosted by Charleston) and the Notre Dame Invitational, and has not finished lower than seventh in any tournament this fall.

Teams will complete their second rounds at the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Intercollegiate Tuesday at 8:08 a.m (ET), followed immediately by the third and final round. Final results from the tournament will be posted on the official Notre Dame athletics web site (www.und.com) as soon as they are available.

- ND -

TEAM RESULTS (18-hole totals): 1. NOTRE DAME 301; 2. Maryland 303; 3. East Carolina 304; 4. Coastal Carolina 305; 5. (tie) South Florida and College of Charleston 306; 7. Texas Tech 307; 8. Kansas State 308; 9. Western Carolina 311; 10. Kansas 314; 11. (tie) Appalachian State and Campbell 318; 13. Winthrop 319; 14. UNC Greensboro 321; 15. (tie) Arkansas State and Charleston Southern 322; 17. Cincinnati 342; 18. The Citadel 353.

TOP 8 INDIVIDUALS (of 91): 1. Sapna Patel (College of Charleston) 68; 2. (tie) Mary Calderon (South Florida), Adrienne Millican (East Carolina) and Katy Heher (Coastal Carolina) 72; 5. (tie) Stacy Brown (Notre Dame), Jackie Ey (Texas Tech) and Katie Stepanek (Maryland) 73; 8. (tie) Marie Harper (Maryland), Chelsey Pryor (Kansas) and Amanda Smith (South Florida) 74.

NOTRE DAME INDIVIDUALS (of 91): 5. (tie) Stacy Brown 73 (37-36); 11. (tie) Noriko Nakazaki 75 (35-40) and Katie Brophy 75 (38-37); 30. (tie) Karen Lotta 78 (41-37); 36. (tie) Shannon Byrne 79 (41-38).