Women's golf opens tourney


By from staff and wire reports
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Monday, February 21, 2005

The Arizona women's golf team opens play in the Wildcat Invitational today at Arizona National Golf Club.

The Wildcat Invitational is a 14-field tournament held today and tomorrow, starting at 8 a.m. both days, with Pacific 10 Conference teams ASU, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford and UCLA competing.

"It's always nice to play in front of a home crowd," said Arizona head coach Greg Allen in a press release. "There is more pressure to play well. It will be a good field and it's a great chance for Tucson women's golf fans to see future stars of the LPGA."

Last year, the Wildcats finished ninth in their home tournament, led by sophomore Erica Blasberg, who left school this summer to pursue a professional career. Blasberg finished tied for fifth.

Arizona is coming off a ninth-place finish in the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge two weeks ago.

Junior Cassandra Kirkland led the Wildcat attack, finishing tied for 25th after shooting 73 in the first round.

The Wildcats' next tournament will be March 14, when the team travels to Las Vegas for the UNLV Invitational.