Sept. 10, 2005

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - The University of Illinois women's golf team is in eighth place in their first tournament of the fall season after shooting a 36-hole combined total of 642 in Saturday's opening rounds of the Notre Dame Invitational. Host Notre Dame leads Bradley University by 10 strokes and also boasts the top individual, Noriko Nakazaki, who shot 1-over par 145 through the first 36 holes.

Nakazaki leads Indiana's Shannon Johnson by three strokes heading into Sunday. Three teammates (two individuals) join Nakazaki on the top-20 leaderboard. Only eleven players in the 90-player field managed to finish both rounds below 80, including three Georgetown Hoyas. The Hoyas are 11 shots off the pace.

Illinois' top-finisher was senior Megan Godfrey. Godfrey shot a combined 157 and is tied for 15th place. Sophomore Seul Ki Park is four shots behind her teammate and tied for 28th. Fellow sophomore Stephanie Mory and junior Meghan Naik share 34th place while sophomore Casey Burden's 167 left her tied for 57th.

Sunday's final round is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.

Scores through two rounds

1. Notre Dame, U. of        311-306=617
2. Bradley University       314-313=627
3. Georgetown U.            312-316=628
4. Toledo, U. of            319-315=634
5. Xavier University        321-314=635
6. Eastern Michigan         324-312=636
7. Western Michigan U.      314-326=640
8. ILLINOIS                 319-323=642
9. Yale University          318-325=643
10. Butler University       323-322=645
11. Winthrop University     316-335=651
12. Indiana University      321-332=653
13. Bucknell University     330-336=666
14. Boston College          334-335=669
15. Western Illinois U.     364-332=696
16. IUPUI                   353-349=702
17. St. Mary's Coll. (Ind.) 369-350=719

Illinois Results T 15. Megan Godfrey 76-81=157 T 28. Seul Ki Park 80-81=161 T 34. Meghan Naik 82-80=162 T 34. Stephanie Mory 81-81=162 T 57. Casey Burden 83-84=167