Arizona men mired in losing streak, women continue to roll

Arizona head coach Rick LaRose said he is not thrilled with the team's performance - the Wildcats finished second to last in its last two events - but knows that the team will come around.

"Overall, we aren't too happy, but golf runs in cycles," LaRose said. "We just haven't played well lately, but we will be okay. We have been great before and we will be great again."

With the Pacific 10 Conference Championships four weeks away, the team will need to rally around upperclassmen Gary Matthews and Rory Sabbatini.

Matthews, the lone senior on the UA squad, has been inconsistent of late. His roller coaster run of finishes over the last four tournaments included a 67th-place finish, an eighth place, a 63rd place, and a tie for 27th at last month's Morris Williams Intercollegiate.

Sabbatini continues to lead the team in stroke average at 73.13 per round and has twice as many top-10 finishes as anyone else on the team.

Sabbatini's most impressive showing came in February at the John A. Burns Invitational, where he tied for first, before losing in a playoff to Oklahoma State's Bo Van Pelt.

"Rory is playing pretty well right now," LaRose said. "He is a great leader for these guys and an easy player to rally around."

LaRose is concern with the need for his other players to step up and play well in the big events.

Six players attend the Pac-10's, so some of the underclassmen not used to the pressure will have to come up big down the stretch if Arizona wants to be amongst the best.

"Andy Barnes and Todd Rose have not been consistent," LaRose said. "They have good potential, but haven't stepped up like we have needed them to."

The Wildcats have two tournaments remaining, including the PING MacGregor Downs this weekend and the Thunderbird Invitational at Arizona State in Tempe on April 25-26. The team may add a third event in between those two to make up for some rounds lost due to recent weather problems.

The Pac-10 tournament is by Oregon on May 5-7 in Eugene.

The Arizona women's golf team has been on cruise control in its last three tournaments, despite playing without sophomore sensation Marisa Baena in two of the events.

The Wildcats placed first in the LSU Invitational and second at the Rainbow Wahine Invitational before taking home the title, along with Baena's individual crown, at this past weekend's ASU Invitational.

This season the Wildcats have placed no lower than sixth in their eight tournaments, while taking home four first-place finishes.

LaRose said he is pleased with his team's results without the all-American leader.

"We have played well in spurts," LaRose said. "The entire team has not all played well at the same time. We have a different pair of players who pick the team up every week."

LaRose also noted his team's strong showings in the Golf World and Rainbow Wahine Invitationals without Baena.

"We really should have won both of those tournaments," LaRose said. "Unfortunately, we just came up a little short."

Baena leads the team in all facets of the game, placing first in four of the five events in which she has competed. She is the only player to have carded a score in the 60's, something she has done twice, including her season-best 67 at last weekend's ASU Invitational in Tempe.

The key for Arizona seems to be the play of junior Heather Graff. Coach LaRose feels that Graff's play will be a determining factor in how the Wildcats finish out the year.

"Graff is really important to the team," LaRose said. "If she can put together a string of good rounds, we are almost unbeatable."

Another bright spot for Arizona has been the play of freshman Jill Gomric.

The newcomer has five top-10 finishes this season, while holding the third lowest scoring average on the team.

"Gomric has great potential," LaRose said. "She is still learning, but has played terrific thus far."

The Wildcats have two weeks off until they take five players to the Pac-10 tournament, which will be held on April 21-23 in Tacoma, Wash.