By
Brian Penso
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Arizona will try to prove mettle in Ping/Golfweek Preview
The sixth-ranked Wildcats will try for their first victory of the 2000 season today at the Ping/Golfweek Preview at the Duke University Golf Club in Durham, N.C.
Fourteen of the MasterCard Collegiate Golf Rankings' top-20 teams will be participating, which should prove to be a good test for the Arizona team.
"This is a chance to show everyone what we are made of," sophomore Ricky Barnes said. "We have a chance to make an early statement, and we are all looking forward to it."
The Duke University Golf Club will also play host to the 2001 NCAA Championship.
Coaches feel that a good showing is important in order to gain confidence on this course.
"I am expecting our starters to play a lot better," assistant coach John Knauer said. "All of them want to play good on this course and show everyone what kind of golfers they really are."
The Wildcats will rely on the sophomore tandem of Reid Hatley and Barnes.
While Hatley finished third in the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate tournament on Sept. 16, Barnes - who played in the United States Open last summer - finished 25th.
Barnes was ranked sixth in the preseason polls but has been battling a back injury, which may have been the reason he did not golf as well as expected.
"Barnes is a fierce competitor," Knauer said. "He goes to war when he tees it up, and nothing less then a victory is acceptable in his eyes. This type of competitiveness helps make all of the other players golf better."
Besides Barnes and Hatley, freshman Chris Nallen will hope to continue his early success with another strong showing. Nallen finished tied for 18th in his first collegiate tournament.
"Even though I am a freshman, I feel I can golf with the best of them," Nallen said. "I just let my golf do the talking."
While UA may have the talent to win the tournament, the Wildcats have been dogged by inconsistent play in the young season.
In last weekend's tournament, the Wildcats finished third. According to Knauer, the team wasted too many shots and failed to take each shot seriously.
"In order for us to be successful this week, we can't waste a lot of shots," Nallen said. "We need to play smart and concentrate on each and every shot."
While inconsistency is often a hallmark of a young team, the Wildcats feel they should be able to overcome their youth and be successful against the nation's elite programs.
"We need to be tougher as a team," Barnes said. "We need to come together as one unit and take care of business and hopefully we will end up on top."
Individually, 20 of the nations 25 best golfers will be competing in Durham, N.C.
"Even though we play for the team, everyone definitely wants to play good individually when they play with the best players in the country," Barnes said.
With the nation's best programs competing at this tournament, the coaches feel it will be a chance for players to feel what it is like to compete among the best.
"Everyone has been working hard this week to improve their game," Knauer said. "Everyone wants to play their best and if we play to our potential, we should be able to make a strong statement this week."
