Womens Golf: Irish hope for home cookin'
By: ANDY TROEGER
Sports Writer
The Notre Dame womens golf team hopes its home course advantage will result in victory at the this weekend's Notre Dame Invitational held at Warren Golf Course.
The Irish come into the tournament after finishing 10th at last week's Mary Fossum Invitational at Michigan State, but the team still has high expectations for this week.
"As long as everyone shoots somewhere in the 70s, we'll have a good shot to win," freshman Sarah Bassett said. "We're a deep team, everyone challenges each other in practice and we have good team chemistry."
Irish coach Debby King's lineup this week largely reflected the way her players finished at last week's tournament. Bassett and fellow freshman Lauren Gebauer were the low scorers for the Irish and will play the top two positions this weekend.
Juniors Rebecca Rogers and Shannon Byrne will be joined by two more freshmen, Katie Brophy and Lauren Barbir. All of the Irish golfers in the lineup competed last week except for Barbir, who will be seeing the first action of her collegiate career this weekend.
Notre Dame in general and Rogers in particular will be looking to duplicate the success that the 2000 team had in the inaugural Notre Dame Invitational. Rogers opened the tournament with a two-under par 70 on her way to the individual championship. She also the Irish to a 30-stroke win over second-place Princeton.
Considering that every golf course is different, playing at home should be a significant asset for the Irish as they look to win their tournament for the second time in three years.
"Playing our home course is definitely an advantage," Bassett said. "The greens and bunkers are the toughest part of the course."
"We should be able to win if everyone is on their game," King added.
All Sports Stories for Friday, September 27, 2002
