Facing a tough field of competition and rough conditions, the No. 26 Irish dropped three spots yesterday to finish seventh out of 15 teams at the Windy City Collegiate Classic hosted by Northwestern. Notre Dame posted a total score of 305 for the third round and finished with a tournament score of 893.
The field consisted of nine teams ranked in the top-50, including No. 1 Texas Tech and No. 2 Washington, but No. 6 Arizona came out on top with a 15-over par 879. The Irish proved they could compete with the best, as they beat Texas Tech by 8 strokes.
"Overall, it was a successful weekend," Irish coach Susan Holt said. "It was one we could build on. We went out and competed well."
With sophomore Ashley Armstrong out with an injury to her right foot, the four Irish golfers had to post every score. There was no safety net of throwing out the lowest fifth score, Holt said.
"Playing with four players in that tough field, I am happy how we did," Holt said. "It puts a different spin on things. You are hoping that if you are playing bad, the others have your back."
Holt said the Irish overcame missing Armstrong.
"In this situation, if you are playing bad, you hurt your team as well as yourself," Holt said. "It adds a lot more pressure. They were tested and they passed the test. We averaged under 300; I'll take that."
The wind picked up in Chicago, presenting another obstacle for the Irish.
"It was a lot tougher condition wise," Holt said. "There was lots of wind and the greens were harder because the wind dried them out. But saying that, I think we did well."
Freshman Lindsey Weaver was not going to let any obstacle prevent her from finishing strong, as she tied for second with UC Davis senior Demi Runas. Weaver shot scores of 70 and 71 in the first two rounds on Monday, finishing three-under par. Yesterday, Weaver shot a 74 and finished one-under overall for the tournament. Holt said she was excited about what she saw out of Weaver.
"I thought Lindsey did great," Holt said. "She's not happy with her performance, though. She left some shots out there and she knew she could do better. It was only her second collegiate event. As a freshman, to even be in that position, on the second day, is incredible. She'll get her win."
Freshman Talia Campbell, four strokes behind Weaver, also finished in the top 10, as she tied for 10th with a 219.
"She went out there and fought through it all. She was two under at the turn in [yesterday's] round," Holt said.
The Irish hope Armstrong will be back in time for the three-day Susie Maxwell Berning Classic, which will begin Oct. 15 at Oklahoma.
"We have two weeks to make sure she's completely healthy," Holt said. "She hasn't tried to swing a club yet, but we are not in any rush. We will take it slow, take our time, and get her back for Oklahoma, where the field will be even tougher."
Contact Isaac Lorton at ilorton@nd.edu
