University of Arizona Athletics

A Look Back at the NCAAs: Sparked by finishing the final two rounds with a 33-under-par total, Arizona placed third at the 2000 NCAA Golf Championships, marking the program's best finish at the NCAAs since winning it all in 1992. After completing the first two rounds in eighth place, the Wildcats then began to play out of their minds. Round three saw Arizona tie an NCAA Tournament record and set a school record by shooting a 19-under 269. Each of the team's five golfers shot 68 or better, led by Scott Moore's career-best 66. That moved the UA up to fourth. The final round saw the Cats play well again, as they carded a 14-under 274.

That would give Arizona a 72-hole total of 34-under 1118 in its 15th consecutive NCAA appearance, which was just two strokes behind Georgia Tech and Oklahoma State, two teams that had to go into a one-hole playoff the determine the team champion. Oklahoma State won the team title in the playoff after it and Georgia Tech were tied with an NCAA Championships record 36-under 1116 following 72 holes of regulation play. In fact, Arizona's 34-under total tied the previous NCAA record total, which was set by UNLV in 1998. On the first playoff hole, the Cowboys were 1-under, while the Yellow Jackets went 1-over, thus giving the Cowboys their ninth NCAA men's golf title in school history.

Arizona's top individual was Ricky Barnes, who tied for third and recorded the best score in school history at the NCAA Championship with a 13-under-par 275. His third place performance was the best for a Wildcat at the NCAAs since Rory Sabbatini finished second to Tiger Woods in 1996 and Barnes also becomes the second UA golfer to place third at the NCAA Championships, joining Manny Zerman, who did it in both 1992 and 1990. Barnes shot a 69 in the final round to give him rounds of 70-68-68-69 at his first NCAA Championship. Next in line for the Wildcats was Derek Gillespie, who finished 12th with at 8-under-par 280. That total was the third best in school history at the NCAA Championships. Highlighted by a hole-in-one in the final day on the 208-yard par-3 eight hole, using a thee-iron, Gillespie shot his second consecutive 67 and moved him up from the tie for 24th that he started the day. Reid Hatley was Arizona's third golfer to place among the top-15, finishing in a tie for 15th at 6-under 282 (70-74-68-70). Scott Moore closed out his Arizona career in style by turning in his top performance at the NCAAs, tying for 24th at 4-under 284. The final member of the third place Arizona lineup was Cody Beyer, who tied for 50th at 2-over 290.

The NCAA individual title was captured by Oklahoma State's Charles Howell, who had a NCAA record 23-under-par 265 total. He won by eight strokes over Houston's Chris Morris, who had a 15-under 273.

NCAA West Regional Recap: Arizona won the NCAA West Regional Men's Golf Championship at the Riverbend Golf Course on May 20. Capturing their first NCAA West Regional title since 1993, the Wildcats finished with a three-round total of 25-under-par 839 and won the championship by four strokes over UNLV and Brigham Young. The UA entered the final round in second place and trailed BYU by one shot, but fired a 281 in the final round to win the title, which was its second overall tournament win of the year. Following the top-three were USC, who placed fourth at 848, New Mexico (850) and Fresno State and Arizona State, which tied for sixth at 851.

The individual championship was won by Pepperdine's Michael Beard. He won with a three-round total of 12-under-par 204. Arizona's top finisher was Reid Hatley, who finished in a four-way tie for fifth at 6-under-par 210. Hatley shot a 69 in the final round to move from a tie for 18th into a tie for fifth. Derek Gillespie entered the final day in a tie for first, but finished with a 2-over-par 74 and dropped into a nine-way tie for ninth at 5-under 211. Also included in that group who tied for ninth at 211 was Arizona sophomore Cody Beyer. Ricky Barnes finished in a six-way tie for 18th at 4-under-par 212. The final member of the first place Arizona lineup was Scott Moore, who tied for 60th at 3-over 219.

Pac-10 Championship Recap: The Wildcats finished fifth at the 2000 Pac-10 Golf Championships, which were held at the Karsten Golf Course (Par-72, 7,027 yards) in Tempe, Ariz. The Wildcats recorded a 72-hole total of 3-over-par 1443. Arizona State finished in first by 37 shots after carding a tournament record 56-under-par 1384 total to win its sixth consecutive Pac-10 Conference championship. Oregon State was second at 19-under-par 1421, California was third at 12-under 1428 and Oregon was fourth with an 8-under 1432 total. Ricky Barnes tied with Oregon State's John Lepak for third at 10-under 278 (71-69-68-70), marking the highest finish by an Wildcat golfer at the Pac-10 Championships since Jason Gore finished first in 1994. Derek Gillespie tied for seventh at 8-under-par 280 (71-70-71-68). The rest of the Arizona lineup included Cody Beyer, who tied for 30th at 3-over-par 291 (70-73-74-74); Reid Hatley, who tied for 45th at 8-over-par 296 (74-73-72-77); Patrick Norris, who tied for 50th at 13-over-par 301 (76-73-78-74) and Scott Moore, who tied for 52nd at 14-over-par 302 (77-72-77-76).

ASU's Paul Casey led wire-to-wire to win his third straight Pac-10 individual title. He won by 10 shots with a tournament record 23-under-par 265 total (66-65-67-67). Oregon State's Tim Mickelson was second at 13-under-par 275 (72-70-64-69).

Wildcat Notes: Arizona finished the season with a string of 11 consecutive finishes in the top-seven... After not winning a tournament in either of the past two seasons, the Cats won two this year the NCAA West Regional and the Louisiana Classic... The NCAA West Regional championship was the program's first West Regional title since 1993... That team went on to place 16th at the NCAA Championships... Overall, Arizona has now won five West Regional titles (2000, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1989)... This season's third place showing at the NCAAs was Arizona's first top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships since a fifth place showing in 1996... Both of the University of Arizona's men's and women's golf programs won their respective NCAA West Regional this season and the two combined for the best finish at the NCAAs of any school in the country... As mentioned, the men were third - and the women won the national title... The women's team was ranked No. 1 for the final 12 weeks of the year and has won its final eight consecutive tournaments... The UA's final ranking of sixth in the MasterCard Collegiate Golf Rankings was the team's highest since it was No.1 towards the end of the 1997-98 season... When the UA won the Louisiana Classic back on March 9, it was the first tournament championship for the Wildcats since October of 1997... That season, current PGA golfer Rory Sabbatini led the UA to the title at the Taylor Made Red River Classic... In the spring portion of Arizona's 1999-00 schedule, the UA has won two tournaments and finished second three times... Senior Derek Gillespie had the most top-10 finishes of any Wildcat golfer this season (7), followed by Ricky Barnes with six... Gillespie finished the year by finishing in the top-10 in three of the final four outings... He tied for ninth at the NCAA West Regional, tied for seventh at the Pac-10 Championship and finished alone in second place at the ASU Thunderbird/Savane... Barnes placed third in three of the final four tournaments... Freshman Reid Hatley's tie for fifth at the West Regional was his best outing of the season... He was also the team's top finisher at the U.S. Collegiate Championships at Los Cabos, Mexico (April 7).

Arizona's Coaching Staff: Arizona's director of golf, Rick LaRose, completed his 22nd season at the helm of the program and was assisted by John Knauer, who was in his second year at the UA... LaRose is the only coach in NCAA golf history to coach both a men's and the women's golf team to a national championship, leading the UA men's team to one in 1992 and women's golf program to the 1996 title... He has also guided both programs to seven NCAA Regional championships (five men's and two women's) and four Pac-10 titles (two men's, two women's), while winning 42 men's tourneys and 17 women's tournament titles... He has been the head coach of the UA men's golf program since 1979 and was the women's head coach from 1995-98... Since LaRose took over as UA head coach in 1979, there have been 35 All-America first team, second team, third team or honorable mention golfers.

Arizona's NCAA Championship History: Arizona won the NCAA title once, back in 1992 at the Championship Golf Course in Albuquerque... Included on that team was current PGA star Jim Furyk, as well as David Berganio, Manny Zerman, Harry Rudolph and Rob McIver... Rudolph finished second at 10-under-par 278... Besides that championship, Arizona's next best finish at the NCAA Championships was the third place performance this past season - as well as in 1990... Arizona placed fifth in 1996 and had a pair of sixth place finishes in 1989 and 1990.

A Look Back at the Fall: Arizona posted four top-10 finishes in five fall tournaments... The Cats placed second at their first tournament of the season, The Ridges Intercollegiate, behind the play of freshman Patrick Norris, who placed second individually at 3-under-par 213... Arizona followed that with an eighth-place finish at the W.H. Tucker Intercollegiate led by senior Derek Gillespie, who tied for fifth individually at 1-under-par 215... Gillespie also tied with freshman Ricky Barnes for the team's top score at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate. They tied for 18th at 2-over-par 215, while the team was 7th in the final standings... Gillespie's fourth-place outing at the Nelson Invitational guided the Cats to their sixth-place effort in that tournament... Gillespie also participated in the Savane College All-America Golf Classic in November. He fired a 67 in the final round to finish tied for fifth at 3-under-par 210 in a tournament that featured two dozen of the top collegiate men's golfers.

Did You Know: A lot has been made over the years about the success of the Arizona basketball program and its 16 straight appearances in the NCAA Basketball Tournament... Well, the Arizona men's golf team is on Lute Olson's hoopsters heels with 15 consecutive NCAA showings of its own... Also, with the UA men's golf team advancing to the NCAA Championships this year, 15 of the 19 sports at the University of Arizona qualified for NCAA postseason play in 1999-2000.

Arizona Golf History: In five of the past 11 seasons, Arizona has produced a first team All-America golfer... There have been two National Players of the Year from the UA -- Eric Meeks (1989) and Robert Gamez (1990)... Ricky Barnes wwas the National Freshman of the Year this season... Meeks and Gamez were also the National Amateur of the Year (Meeks in 1988; Gamez in 1989)... The Wildcats won the 1992 NCAA national championship... UA has also won two Pac-10 titles and has been the league runner-up on six occasions... In six of the past 11 years, Arizona has spent time ranked as the nation's No. 1 team, including the 1997-98 team, which spent most of the year in the top spot... Arizona alums on the PGA Tour include such names as Jim Furyk, Robert Gamez, Don Pooley, Rory Sabbatini, Mike Springer, Larry Silveira, Ted Purdy and Dan Pohl... There have been four Arizona golfers named (five overall selections) to the United States Walker Cup team Berganio was a two time performer...

The Talented Mr. Gillespie: Senior Derek Gillespie finished the season ranked No. 18... He placed 12th at the NCAAs and tied for ninth at the NCAA West Regional... Prior to that, he finished seventh at the Pac-10 Championships... His best finish of the season was a second place outing at the ASU Thunderbird/Savane Invitational in Tempe on April 16... He finished one shot behind the winner after carding a 8-under-par 208 (69-71-68)... He had seven top-10 finishes and three top-20 performances in his 14 tournaments in 1999-2000... His other top-10 finishes were a pair of top-five outings (tied for 4th at Nelson and tied for 5th at Savane)... He owned the team's second-lowest scoring average at 71.04 and was Arizona's top finisher in five out of 14 tournaments on the season... He tied for 24th at the U.S. Collegiate Championships... He tied for seventh at the John Burns Intercollegiate after firing his lowest round of the season (66) on the final day to jump from 31st place... He was a third team All-American this year and a first team All-America selection in 1999 after tying for sixth at the NCAA Championships... He shot a 6-over-par 294 (72-71-76-75) and was in second place after two rounds just two shots off the lead... He entered the NCAAs not ranked among the nation's top-100, but finished the season as the country's No. 45 golfer in the final MasterCard rankings... He was named to the 1999 All-Pac-10 second team after he tied for 20th at the Pac-10 Championships with a 10-over-par 290 (76-73-67-74)... Gillespie played in 12 tournaments in 1998-99 and had five top-20 finishes and two top-10 outings.

Barnes the Noble: Ricky Barnes (Stockton, Calif.) was both the National Freshman of the Year and the Pac-10 Conference Freshman of the Year... Ranked No. 17 in the final poll of the season, he had six top-10 finishes and three top-20 outings in 14 tournaments... He tied for third at the NCAA Championships after carding a 13-under 275... He tied for 18th at the NCAA West Regional and tied for third at the Pac-10s... Barnes, the brother of former UA golfer Andy Barnes, won the Ping/Arizona Intercollegiate in February with a 9-under-par 204 (65-68-71) and the Louisiana Classic on March 14 with a 3-under-par 213... He had the team's top scoring average at 71.04... His other win -- at the Ping/Arizona Intercollegiate on Feb. 1 marked the first UA golfer to win a tournament since Rory Sabbatini won the 1997 Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate... He was third at the ASU Thunderbird/Savane Invitational in Tempe, shooting a 6-under-par 210 (71-70-69)... Barnes was featured in Sports Illustrated's Golf Plus issue in the Faces in the Crowd section in February... He has been Arizona's top golfer in four tournaments this season, with his lowest finish coming at the Ridges Intercollegiate where he finished tied for 38th... He came to Arizona ranked 17th in the country for the class of 1999 and 42nd overall... He had four runner-up finishes in his AJGA career, including three in a row toward the end of 1999.

Fresh Faces: In addition to Ricky Barnes, UA director of golf Rick LaRose has gathered one of the best recruiting classes in the nation in Reid Hatley (Spokane, Wash.), Patrick Norris (Orlando, Fla.) and John Wine (College Station, Texas)... The freshman foursome has combined to record eight top-10 finishes and five top-20 finishes... Hatley, an honorable mention All-America selection after tying for 15th at the NCAA Championships, was the team's top golfer at the NCAA West Regional, tying for fifth, and the U.S. Collegiate Championships, placing 12th... He shot a season-best 68 both tournaments and his 210 at the West Regional was his best total of the season... Norris posted a second-place finish in his first collegiate competition at The Ridges Intercollegiate... Hatley tied for ninth at the Spalding/Anteater Invitational, when he played for the UA junior varsity team... He was ranked 10th among American Junior Golfers Association class of 1999 players at the end of the season and was the No. 18 player in the country overall... He won the 1999 AJGA Compaq Junior Championship at Trophy Lake and had five top-10 performances during his AJGA career... Hatley tied for 23rd at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate in the fall.

Arizona's Top Player Bios for 1999-00

Derek Gillespie, 5-8, 170, Sr., Oshawa, Ontario: Finished the season ranked golfer at No. 18... All-Pac-10 first team selection and Third Team All-America... Team best seven top-10 finishes... Three top-20 performances in his 14 tournaments... He owned the team's second-lowest scoring average at 71.48 and was been Arizona's top finisher in five out of 14 tournaments... Placed 12th at the NCAA Championships and tied for ninth at the NCAA West Regionals... Entered the final day in a tie for first, but shot a 74 and fell to ninth... Tied for seventh at the Pac-10 Championships with a four round total of 8-under-par 280... Had his best score in the final round - a 68 - to help move him up from 13th... The tie for seventh was the best finish during his career at the Pac-10s... Finished second at the ASU Thunderbird/Savane Invitational in Tempe one shot behind the winner after carding a 8-under-par 208 (69-71-68)... Other top-10 finishes are a pair of top-five outings (tied for 4th at Nelson and tied for 5th at Savane)... Tied for 24th at the U.S. Collegiate Championships... Tied for seventh at the John Burns Intercollegiate after firing his lowest round of the season (66) on the final day to jump from 31st place... He was an All-America selection in 1999 after tying for sixth at the NCAA Championships... He shot a 6-over-par 294 (72-71-76-75) and was in second place after two rounds just two shots off the lead... Was named to the 1999 All-Pac-10 second team after he tied for 20th at the Pac-10 Championships with a 10-over-par 290 (76-73-67-74).

Ricky Barnes, 6-1, 200, Fr., Stockton, Calif.:National Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-America selection... Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and All-Pac-10 first team performer... Tied for third at the NCAA Championships after shooting a 13-under-par 275... That score set a record for an Arizona golfer at the NCAAs... Won two tournaments this season and finished the season ranked No. 17... Led the team in stroke average (71.04)... Had six top-10 finishes and three top-20 outings... Finished in the top-five in five of his final eight tournaments... Tied for 18th at the NCAA West Regional (4-under 212)... Had back-to-back top-five performances going into that event... Placed third at the Pac-10 Championships with a 10-under-par 278... That was the best finish for an Arizona golfer at the Pac-10 Championships since 1994... Prior to that, had a third place finish at the ASU Thunderbird/Savane Invitational (6-under/210)... The brother of former UA golfer Andy Barnes, Ricky won the Ping/Arizona Intercollegiate in February with a 9-under-par 204 (65-68-71) and the Louisiana Classic on March 14 with a 3-under-par 213... With his win at the Ping/Arizona Intercollegiate on Feb. 1, he became the first UA golfer to win a tournament since Rory Sabbatini won the 1997 Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate... Was Arizona's top golfer in five tournaments, with his worst finish coming at the Ridges Intercollegiate where he finished tied for 38th... He came to Arizona ranked 17th in the country for the class of 1999 and 42nd overall... He had four runner-up finishes in his AJGA career, including three in a row toward the end of 1999.

Cody Beyer, 5-8, 150, So., Tucson, Ariz.: Honorable mention All-Pac-10 team selection... Ranked No. 99 in the final poll... Owned the third-best stroke average on the team (72.90)... Played in 13 tournaments and had two top-10 performances... Best outing of the season was at the NCAA West Regional, helping lead the Wildcats to the title... He tied for ninth after shooting a 5-under-211 (70-69-72)... His other top-10 was at the Morris Williams Intercollegiate... He tied for seventh with a 4-over-par 220 and was the team's top finisher... He had four top-20 finishes this season... Tied for 50th at the NCAA Championships with a 2-over 290... Tied for 30th at the Pac-10 Championships (3-over 291)... Tied for 15th at the Louisiana Classic (222), tied for 16th at the John Burns Intercollegiate (212), tied for 18th at the Ping/Arizona Intercollegiate 217) and tied for 16th at the Ridges Intercollegiate (221)... Last season as a freshman, he tied for 33rd at the Pac-10 Championships after shooting a 15-over-par 295... He was the 5A Golfer of the Year in 1996 for Canyon del Oro High School in Tucson.

Scott Moore, 5-9,165, Jr., Collinsville, Ill.: One of two seniors on the NCAA squad, he played in 12 tournaments and has a stroke average of 73.60... His play at the NCAA Championships helped aid in the UA's third place finish... Tied for 24th with a 4-under 284... Shot a career-best 66 in the third round to help set the pace for Arizona's 19-under day three total... Tied for 51st at the Pac-10 Championships (14-over 302) and tied for 60th at the West Regional... Prior to the NCAAs, his best tournament of this season was a tie for eighth at the ASU Thunderbird/Savane Invitational... Shot a 4-under-par 212 and had a season-best 68 in the final round, helping give Arizona three golfers in the top-10...Tied for 12th at the Ping/Arizona Intercollegiate (216) and tied for 15th at the Louisiana Classic (222)... Tied for 51st at last year's NCAA Championships.

Reid Hatley, 5-10, 150, Fr., Spokane, Wash.: Honorable mention All-American... Ranked No. 49 in the final rankings of the season... Tied for 15th at the NCAA Championships after shooting a 6-under 282 (70-74-68-70)... The second of two freshmen in the Arizona top-five, he played in 12 tournaments and had a stroke average of 73.89... His top finish of the year was a team-best tie for fifth at the NCAA West Regional (6-under 210)... Had a 12th place outing at the U.S. Collegiate Championships in Cabo, Mexico... He carded a 3-under-par 213 and was the top Arizona finisher in the tournament... One top-10 outing and one-20 performance... Tied for 45th at the Pac-10 Championships (8-over 296)... Tied for 23rd at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate back in the Fall portion of the schedule... Shot a 3-over-par 216.