Golf director qualifies for U.S. Senior Amateur Championship

UA director of golf Rick LaRose blistered the field with a seven-under-par 65 to qualify for the 2002 United States Senior Amateur Championship earlier this week.

LaRose, who led all qualifiers with his 65, tallied nine birdies and two bogeys in the sectional qualifier at Estrella Ranch Golf Club in Goodyear, Ariz. He is scheduled to compete in the 48th Senior Amateur Championship from Sept. 28 to Oct. 3 at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla.

As a player, LaRose has competed in two U.S. Amateurs and the U.S. Mid-Amateur. He has also coached two U.S. Amateur champions, including 2002 winner Ricky Barnes.

Men's golf earns No. 4 ranking; Barnes, Nallen Îplayers to watch'

The UA men's golf team will open the 2002-03 season with a top-five national ranking, as GolfWorld magazine has ranked the team fourth in its annual preseason rankings. The publication also selected Ricky Barnes and Chris Nallen as two of its "50 Players to Watch."

The Wildcats received 322 points, including one first place vote, to tie for fourth place with Georgia Tech in the preseason poll behind Clemson (389), Minnesota (334) and Florida (327). It marks the 15th time in the last 17 years that Wildcat golf has achieved a top-five ranking at some point of the season. Last season, UA opened the year ranked No. 2 before finishing tied for ninth at the 2002 NCAA Championships.

Leading the way for the Wildcats in 2002-03 will be seniors Ricky Barnes and Chris Nallen, who were both picked as two of the nation's top 50 collegiate players.

The Wildcats open the 2002-03 campaign Sept. 13 to Sept. 14 at the William H. Tucker Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M.

Coaches give UA women's golf No. 3 ranking in preseason poll

The UA women's golf team is ranked third in the preseason edition of the GolfWorld Collegiate Coaches' Poll.

Also, UA senior Laura Myerscough stands eighth in the publication's ranking of the nation's "Top 50 Players to Watch."

Arizona, which tied for second at the 2002 NCAA Championships, received 271 points and one first place vote. The Duke Blue Devils top the poll, while Auburn is second. Florida and Pepperdine round out the poll's top five, ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.

The three-time defending Pac-10 Conference champion, UA returns five letterwinners from a team that closed the 2001-02 campaign with seven top-five finishes and a 299.39 stroke average.

The Wildcats open the fall season as they head to the NCAA Fall Preview, Sept. 15 to Sept. 17, at Kampen Golf Course in West Lafayette, Ind.