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Men's, women's golf teams are still driving ahead solidly

The men's golf team looks to change their sub-par rating with the top recruiting class in the country and a player from the All-Pacific 10 Conference First Team.

Before its first tournament in Tennessee, the team was absent from the MasterCard Collegiate Top 25. The Wildcats' low rating had a lot to do with the team's experience. The team that UA head coach Rick LaRose sent to Tennessee consisted of three freshmen, two sophomores and only one senior.

"I have nothing but good things to say about these guys," LaRose said. "They are meeting my expectations and have brought great chemistry to the team."

Freshman Patrick Norris was a big part of the team's second place finish in The Ridges Intercollegiate tournament. Norris shot a 3-under-par 213 for the three-round competition. With this great showing, he ended up second in the entire field.

"He went into the tournament wanting to win it," LaRose said. "The course had very fast greens, this played to one of his strengths, putting. He is a very intense competitor, right now he is leading this team along."

The young age of the Wildcats is not a factor to the mature playing on the green, LaRose said.

"These new guys are making the team better," he said. "The seniors on the team know that they have to really step up if they want to compete matches this year. We are solid from one to 15. We have more depth than ever."

Senior Derek Gillespie returns as one of the top golfers in the country after tying for sixth place at last year's NCAA championships. Gillespie had the lowest average on the team last year at 73.23 overall.

Gillespie shot a 223 for the weekend.

"He just played bad his first two rounds, (but) he played a great final round, though," LaRose said. "If we do well in this, our next tournament, we will be in the top ten. Rankings really don't matter till the end of the season."

Ricky Barnes shot 9 over-225, Reid Hatley shot 8 over-224 and Cody Beyer shot 5 over-221.

Arizona returns to action Oct. 1-2 at the Tucker Intercollegiate in Albuquerque, N.M.