By
Brian Penso
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Freshman Ochoa takes individual crown
The top ranked Wildcat women's golf team proved worthy of its No. 1 ranking with an impressive victory at the Dick McGuire Invitational championship this weekend.
The Wildcats led the tournament after the first round, but they fell to second place after day two and it looked as though the tournament was slipping out of Arizona's grasp.
Then the Wildcats showed why they are the nation's top team, shooting a final round of 302 to finish the tournament 16-over-par, 5 strokes better than second place Tulsa.
"We are really excited," junior Cristina Baena said. "Even if we didn't play our best, we won."
Besides finishing the tournament in impressive fashion, the Wildcats overcame bad weather, including strong winds.
"I am real impressed with Lorena(Ochoa) and Cristina, who both shot incredible final rounds in that type of wind," head coach Greg Allen said. "As a team we could have folded, but Lorena and Cristina kept us together and led us to victory."
Arizona was led by Ochoa, who won her first collegiate tournament with a seven-under-par 212, 7 strokes better than her teammate Baena, who finished second at even par.
Ochoa broke several Championship Course records en route to her first victory.
"I think she is one of the best players in college by far," Baena said.
Her first round score of 69 tied the record for the lowest first round score, and her three round score of 212 tied the 54-hole course record, which was previously held by former Wildcat Marisa Baena.
"Lorena is great," Allen said. "It was only a matter of time before she won her first tournament. She is super talented and we expect many more victories from here."
Baena shook off a rocky start to jump six spots on the final day of the Dick McGuire Invitational to place second.
"I struggled the first two days, but I stepped up the last," Baena said. "I was really excited."
Wildcat junior Laura Myerscough also played well with a sixth place finish.
The one low point to the Wildcats' performance came from freshman Nancy Abiecunas, who finished for a tie for 62nd place. Abiecunas also finished 63rd at the NCAA Preview last weekend.
Allen, though, is not worried about Abiecunas' play because she is coming off a serious shoulder injury.
"I have all of the patience in the world for Nancy," Allen said. "She is super- talented with a lot of potential, and she will be great one day."
Senior Christina Monteiro also struggled in the tournament as she tied for 56th place
"My putter let me down," Monteiro said. "I three-putted all over the golf course."
Still, Allen looks forward to the next tournament.
"I am real happy with all of the girls, and hopefully we continue our winning streak in our next tournament," Allen said.
The top ranked Wildcats next compete on Oct. 20 at the Stanford/Pepsi Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif.
