The UA women's golf team entered the first round of the Pac-10 Championships knowing one thing: Make the putts or make big numbers.
The latter happened yesterday, putting the women alone in seventh place in Somis, Calif.
"The greens are brutal," said head coach Greg Allen. "They are fast with a lot of subtle breaks."
Host and heavy favorite UCLA leads after yesterday's round with a 20-over par 308.
The leaderboard is packed, with only six shots separating UCLA and Arizona - a deficit that Allen says can be made up if the Wildcats' middle players step up.
"I think we're going to do OK with the difference in the number of strokes," Allen said. "We gave a few away coming in but we just need a better performance out of the middle three."
Allen said he would like to see sophomore Erica Blasberg remain consistent for the final two rounds.
Blasberg fought the tough greens and fierce winds to place herself at the top of the individual leaderboard with a 1-under 71.
"Erica's round was as good a round as she has played this spring, including her two (LPGA tour) events," Allen said. "She had two birdies on her last four holes and only missed one green today."
Blasberg's lone bogey came on the par-4 seventh, as she closed with birdies on holes 15 and 17.
"She is starting to gain confidence with her putting stroke," Allen said. "If she does that, watch out."
But other than Blasberg, only sophomore Cassandra Kirkland broke 80, posting a 7-over 79.
Kirkland was only 5-over par heading to the par-5 18th, but hit her tee shot out of bounds, closing with her only double-bogey of her first round.
Redshirt sophomore Lani Elston is tied for 25th place after a first-round 80.
Despite the tough first round, Allen compared it to the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational - a tournament the Wildcats came back to win after a slow opening round.
"I compare this to the tournament in the fall at Sahalee Country Club," Allen said. "We trailed by 13 shots after the first day and came back to win."
The Wildcats could actually be at an advantage after their poor play on Monday. By being in seventh, the Wildcats will likely tee off in the earliest groups and miss the treacherous wind that hit the course in the afternoon during yesterday's round.
Allen said he would continue to preach the importance of figuring out the tough greens of Saticoy.
"We have the talent. We just need to get it together," he said.