CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Summer Wildcat Former UA golfer Erica Blasberg puts during the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson in late February. Blasberg recently announced that she will leave the UA to go pro.

For any golfer that has rolled a putt on a practice green or grinded for hours on that lonely range, becoming a professional golfer has always been that final dream.

Erica Blasberg, Arizona's top female golfer, decided to make that step early and join the ranks of professional golf, forgoing her final two years as a Wildcat.

Blasberg said the decision was something she knew would come in the future, but was one of the toughest she has ever faced.

"Going pro has its perks, but the side that made me not want to go pro is thinking of the great times I had my with my teammates and friends," she said.

"My experience at Arizona has definitely been the best of my life."

The sophomore from Corona, Calif. might have only been a Tucson resident for two years, but they were well spent as she racked up six victories in her 20 collegiate starts, four coming in her 2003-2004 season.

Blasberg is following in the footsteps of an elite group of UA golfers to leave school early for the pros that includes Annika Sorenstam, Lorena Ochoa and Natalie Gulbis.

"A combination of a lot of things made me want to take that next step," Blasberg said.

"Nothing in particular made me want to leave Tucson; I just knew it was time to go."

The two-time All-American decided to leave after the Curtis Cup, an event that pits the best amateur women from America against those of Great Britain and Ireland.

"Her and her dad made the decision at the Curtis Cup that she was done with amateur golf and wanted to start her professional career on the LPGA tour," head coach Greg Allen said on Tuesday.

Blasberg traveled to Tucson a week before the Women's U.S. Open to get some things from her apartment and to meet with Allen.

"When Erica came to Tucson, her mind was made up," Allen said.

"She came to Tucson mainly (for my benefit) because she didn't want to tell me on the phone; she wanted to tell me face-to-face."

The news leaves a huge hole in a Wildcat team that ended the season very porous.

"It's going to hurt us obviously because she was the low score in every tournament," Allen said.

"But it's going to leave room for one of the other girls to step up."

The Wildcats failed to win a tournament in the spring semester and finished a disappointing 15th place in the NCAA tournament.

Blasberg, however, continued her consistency throughout the spring and played in four professional tournaments, all as an amateur.

Her latest stint on the LPGA Tour came last week at the Women's U.S. Open where she missed her third cut in four professional tournaments.

Her professional debut will be this week on the Futures Tour at the Stratton Mountain (Vermont) Classic and Blasberg will need to finish in the top 5 of the money list in her remaining eight tournaments.

If she doesn't earn her LPGA card that way, she will participate in LPGA qualifying school at the end of the year.

The grueling test might be worrisome for most, but Allen believes Blasberg's consistent play will only come to her advantage during the event.

"Q-school is tough, but she has an advantage with her consistency," he said.

Blasberg said that as she embarks on her journey in the professional golf ranks, the UA will always be close to her heart.

I'm going to miss my teammates and my friends and the coaches," she said. "This school and town (are) something that will always be a part of my life."