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Athlete of the Week

While walking down the fairway on the 18th hole of a high school tournament, Ricky Barnes was stung on the lip by a bee. Barnes played through the swollen lip and ended up birdying the hole and walking off the course with a smile.

Now a freshman at the UA, Barnes, who is one of the top golfers this season for the No. 15 Wildcats, has been all smiles this year.

He won his second individual tournament of the season last week at the Louisiana Classic in Lafayette, La.

Last month, Barnes captured the individual title of the PING/Arizona Intercollegiate in Tucson.

With the victories, Barnes has found a new confidence in his game, but he isn't letting the victory get to his head.

"Getting a tournament under my belt as a freshman was a confidence booster," Barnes said. "I am happy with my game so far this season, but there is room for improvement."

Barnes' recent accomplishments have not gone unnoticed on the national scene, as he was recently featured in Sports Illustrated, because of his solid performance, and he didn't even know about the article until a friend e-mailed him.

"It's just shocking. You always grow up reading Sports Illustrated," Barnes said. "I can't sit back and dwell on it because I have a lot more goals to obtain."

Barnes said he felt nervous in his first few tournaments, but now that he has played in a few of them, he feels right at home.

"At first, I felt a little pressure, but now that I have a couple of tourneys under my belt, it doesn't even seem as if I am a freshman," Barnes said.

Although Barnes has an easy-going attitude off the course, his competitiveness on the course can cause him to lose his cool.

"I get pissed off, and I let my emotions get to me," Barnes said. " That's probably my weakness."

With all the success on the golf course, Barnes said he feels no temptation toward playing on the PGA Tour - he is more concerned with his academics.

"The main thing I am here for is my college degree," Barnes said.

If he was to play professionally, it would not be a decision that Barnes would make. That would fall upon his parents.

"I credit much of my success to my parents. Everyone usually has the same pro, but for me, it was my parents who guided me up through golf," Barnes said.

Barnes also had the luxury of learning from his brother, Andy, who played for the Wildcats from 1995 through 1999.

The brothers' athletic ability runs in the family, as their father played professional football in the NFL for the New England Patriots.

Barnes, though, does not limit his athletic ability to only the golf course.

A fan of all sports, Barnes lettered in soccer two consecutive years at Lincoln High School, in Stockton, Calif.

"I like to go out there and have a good time and work out," Barnes said. "In the free time, anything but golf is good."