Notre Dame will travel to the University of Georgia Golf Club in Athens, Ga., this weekend to take on the field in the 40th Annual Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic.
The competition features six teams ranked in the top-25 nationally, and will prove to be a good test for the Irish, who are excited to compete against some of the best squads in the nation.
"We got here early [Thursday morning] and had a really good practice round," Irish coach Susan Holt said. "The team is really upbeat and ready to compete."
To hang with some of the best in the nation, the Irish will have to be at the top of their game.
"We need to get consistent play for all three days," Holt said. "We need lower scores across the board and to avoid any score over 80. [Scores over 80 have] been our biggest problem this season. Against the level of competition we play, we can't have scores that high. We just need to be more consistent across the board."
The Irish are no strangers to playing against the nation's top competition, with every tournament they've played in thus far sporting multiple top-25 teams. Still, Holt says her team welcomes the regular challenge.
"Our tournament schedule has been very challenging this season, providing us an opportunity to compete against top teams in the country on a regular basis," Holt said. "There are three or four teams in the top-10 here this weekend. It's a really good opportunity to see where we stand. Our players are very excited to compete against the best."
While Holt will look to senior captain Becca Huffer for leadership, she knows that it will take a great team effort to compete this weekend.
"We need a big team effort from our players," Holt said. "We have five talented golfers. It would be nice to have four out of five to step up each day. We haven't been able to get that done yet this season, but with a little focus and consistency, we can get there."
The Irish tee off the 40th Annual Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic today in Athens, Ga.
Contact Nick Boyle at nboyle1@nd.edu
