Notre Dame defeated No. 14 Tennessee by one stroke and beat out three other top-20 squads Tuesday to win the Cougar Classic, while shattering several team and individual records.
In what figured to be a record-setting week, the Irish were able to overcome a three-stroke deficit after the second round to beat the Volunteers.
Notre Dame finished with a combined score of 870 (287-292-291), while Tennessee shot a three-round total of 871 (288-288-295). The field at the Yeamans Hall Golf Club in Hanahan, S.C., was comprised of four top-20 squads - making this victory even more impressive.
Two separate program records were broken at the Cougar Classic.
In the first round of the invitational, junior Lisa Maunu shot the lowest round of golf ever in the program at six-under par. As a team, Notre Dame fired the lowest score over a three-round event with its six-over par (870) mark. The Irish shattered the previous record by 29 strokes.
The victory was the 21st in program history, and the first time second-year coach Susan Holt has led her squad to a tournament title.
Maunu, due to her record-breaking first round, finished atop the field of 103 golfers, becoming the 11th golfer in the history of the program to win an individual tournament.
"Lisa played really, really well," Holt told und.com. "She was steady and hit the ball really well. I thought the entire team hit the ball well. It's exciting because the team set some high goals for this season, and it's a testament to them that they are playing up to them. The goals are attainable, and they can go as far as they want to go."
Freshman So-Hyun Park performed well in her first collegiate tournament, taking second with her three-under par 213 (70-69-74).
Sophomore Annie Brophy finished in a tie for 27th and third on the squad with her six-over par 222 (75-74-73). Sophomore Kristin Wetzel finished three strokes behind Brophy with a 225 (76-75-74), good enough for a 42nd-place tie.
Freshman Katie Conway rounded out the Irish lineup with her 231 (78-75-78), leaving her in a tie for 64th
Notre Dame will return to the links Monday for a two-day tournament at the Napa River Grill Cardinal Cup in Louisville, Ky., taking place at the Cardinal Club.
If the victory at the Cougar Classic is an indicator for how the season will go for the Irish, then the squad has a open horizon in front of it this year.
"I knew we were better than last year, but I couldn't be sure of how good we were until we competed," Holt told und.com. "We wanted to use this tournament as a measuring stick, and I sure like how we look right now. We had a good first day and we backed it up the rest of the way."
