Wildcat Women Golfers Remain In Nation's Top Spot in MasterCard Rankings
TUCSON, Ariz. - The University of Arizona's women's golf team is ranked No. 1 in the latest edition of the MasterCard Collegiate Golf Rankings, released Wednesday by the College Golf Foundation. The Wildcats have been in the country's top spot since their season debut at No. 1 in the CGF's preseason rankings in September.
Freshman Lorena Ochoa takes over the top spot in the rankings with 304 votes. She replaces last month's No. 1 golfer, fellow Wildcat Cristina Baena, who now stands at No. 3 with 266 votes. Ochoa won the Comcast/Dick McGuire Invitational on September 21-23 by seven strokes and finished second at the Stanford/Pepsi Invitational on October 20-22. Baena has three top ten finishes in just three tournaments this year.
The Wildcat's other freshman standout, Natalie Gulbis, makes her collegiate debut in the MasterCard rankings at No. 18. Gulbis shot a five-under-par 67 in her first-ever round of collegiate golf at the Stanford/Pepsi Invitational.
Sophomore Julia Kraschinski, who has been out of action this season due to serious disc problems in her back, dropped from the rankings. She completed a stellar freshman season by finishing in second place at last year's NCAA Championships.
Arizona is competing in the Golf World Invitational in Hilton Head, S.C. this weekend. The Wildcats will attempt to earn their third tournament championship of the season as well as their third consecutive Golf World Invitational title.
MasterCard Collegiate Golf Rankings Rank Team Votes Rank Individual Votes 1. ARIZONA 318 1. LORENA OCHOA, ARIZONA 304 2. Duke 294 2. Candie Kung, Southern Cal 275 3. Southern Cal 272 3. CRISTINA BAENA, ARIZONA 266 4. Tennessee 268 4. Celeste Troche, Auburn 257 5. Auburn 261 5. Stacy Prammanasudh, Tulsa 233
