Women's golf finishes 6th in regular season finale


By Shane Bacon
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Monday, April 5, 2004

The Arizona women's golf team finished in sixth place yesterday at the Ping/ASU Invitational, the final event of the 2004 spring regular season.

The Wildcats, who have struggled the entire semester, put together their best stretch of the past three months with rounds of 297-296-297, cracking 300 for the first time this spring.

"It was disappointing in the way we finished," head coach Greg Allen said, "but it is nice to see us post some decent numbers."

Sophomore Erica Blasberg competed in her first tournament since the Wildcat Invitational after playing the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship two weeks ago.

She finished sixth individually, her 16th career top-10 finish and her second straight after a fifth-place finish at the UA's home tournament more than a month ago.

"Erica didn't make many birdies today," Allen said. "She had a double bogey on 12 where she got in the bunker with a tough lie and a tough stance."

Blasberg was in third place after the second day, but finished with a final-round 75, leaving her 10 shots behind UCLA's Charlotte Mayorkas, who won the tournament after closing with a 7-under 65 - the best round of the tournament by two shots.

UCLA continued its domination of the Pac-10 circuit, winning the tournament by 16 shots over Southern California after closing yesterday with a 6-under-par, the best round of the day by 13 shots.

"They are playing better than anyone in the Pac-10," Allen said.

Arizona's best round of the weekend was produced by Lani Elston yesterday. The sophomore closed with a bogey-free 3-under 69, finishing in 12th.

"She's been close," Allen said. "It's good to see her playing well."

The Wildcats closed the regular season with just one team victory, winning the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational in October.

The Wildcats have two weeks off before the Pac-10 Championships start in Somis, Calif.

The Wildcats have dominated the Pac-10 Championships in the past, but this year's tourney will be played at a course where UCLA gets to play at least once a week.

Allen said the Wildcats will have to work on their short game if they want to overcome the Bruins at their home venue.

"We're ready to get serious now," he said.