Printer-Friendly Format     E-mail this article     Junior Josh Sandman turned in an impressive third-place finish (220, +7) at the USC Collegiate Invitational, which concluded Tuesday in Westlake Village, Calif.

Junior posts best finish in nearly two years with third-place tie at 220 (+7).

March 4, 2008

Complete Results (PDF)

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. -- Paced by a third-place tie from junior Josh Sandman (Greensboro, N.C./Southeast Guilford), the Notre Dame men's golf team finished in 12th place at the USC Collegiate Invitational, which wrapped up Tuesday at the North Ranch Country Club (par 71/6,869 yards) in Westlake Village, Calif. The Irish shot a three-round total of 73-over par 925 (318-302-305) at the 14-team event, which was won by the host school with a score of 885 (+33).

Sandman carded a seven-over par 220 (72-75-73) at this week's tournament to post his highest individual finish since a career-best runner-up showing at the 2006 Boilermaker Invitational (his second career tournament). The Notre Dame veteran ended the tournament just two shots behind medalist Tim Sluiter of USC (218, +5), who competed as an individual participant and outdistanced the 80-man field.

Sophomore Doug Fortner (Tustin, Calif./Foothill) ended up in a 39th-place tie during his homecoming, shooting a 17-over par 230 (81-74-75) after fighting through blustery conditions during the opening round. Another southern California native, freshman Connor Alan-Lee (Solana Beach, Calif./La Jolla Country Day School) tied with sophomore teammate Kyle Willis (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) in 56th place at 21-over par 234 -- both players carded rounds of 82-75-77 during the tournament. Willis was making his spring season debut and played as an individual this week.

Senior tri-captain Greg Rodgers (Phoenix, Md./St. Paul's School) finished tied for 75th place at 30-over par 243 (85-78-80), while freshman Tyler Hock (Ocala, Fla./Forest) completed the Irish scoring in 77th place at 32-over par 245 (83-81-81).

Notre Dame next will be in action on March 14-16 when it travels to Statesboro, Ga., for the Schenkel E-Z-GO Invitational, hosted by Georgia Southern.

FINAL TEAM RESULTS (54-hole totals): 1. USC 885 (284-307-294); 2. Tennessee 889 (318-286-285); 3. Stanford 890 (305-297-288); 4. Pepperdine 898 (309-287-302); 5. California 899 (310-297-292); 6. (tie) BYU 902 (311-290-301) and Washington 902 (305-298-299); 8. Loyola Marymount 903 (307-296-300); 9. Oklahoma 907 (306-302-299); 10. Oregon State 911 (314-303-294); 11. Oregon 913 (318-301-294); 12. NOTRE DAME 925 (318-302-305); 13. UCLA Blue 932 (313-303-316); 14. Fresno State 934 (319-299-316).

TOP SIX INDIVIDUALS PLUS NOTRE DAME FINISHERS (of 80): 1. Tim Sluiter* (USC) 218 (73-75-70); 2. Matthew Giles (USC) 219 (68-77-74); 3. (tie) Josh Sandman (ND) 220 (72-75-73), Chris Paisley (UT) 220 (77-71-72), Dodge Kemmer (SU) 220 (72-78-70) and Sihwan Kim (SU) 220 (78-69-73); 39. (tie) Doug Fortner (ND) 230 (81-74-75); 56. (tie) Connor Alan-Lee (ND) and Kyle Willis* (ND) 234 (82-75-77); 75. (tie) Greg Rodgers (ND) 243 (85-78-80); 77. Tyler Hock (ND) 245 (83-81-81).
* - indicates player competing as individual participant (score not counted to team total)