Bears Open Spring Season At Lamkin Invitational
The Cal women's golf team opens up a jam-packed spring season this week at the Lamkin Invitational, as the Golden Bears are part of a highly competitive 14-team field that will navigate the par-72 course at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Cal, playing in its first tournament since finishing out the fall slate at the Pac-12 preview in November, will go up against nine teams currently ranked in the most recent WGCA top-25, including seven opponents from the Pac-12.
The Bears are ranked 41st nationally by GolfStat after a fall season full of promising moments. Cal features two players ranked in the top-200 individually.
"There is only so much that you can do to prepare when there aren't any tournaments," Cal head coach Nancy McDaniel said. "To be able to stay in California and play a quality course like The Farms – that's always a step in the right direction. We're thankful to be playing and excited to get out there to start the season."
Senior Katherine Zhu is coming off a strong fall season that included two top-10 finishes. She also placed in a tie for 14th at 4-under par at the prestigious Patriot All-America in Arizona.
Sophomore Cristina Ochoa is in the Bears' No. 2 slot this week after a couple of solid showings in winter tournaments and improved play in the team's qualifying rounds. Ochoa's only fall action was as an individual at the Molly Collegiate Invitational but had a top-25 finish at the Women's Amateur Latin America Championships in November and placed 31st out of 74 golfers at last month's South Atlantic Women's Amateur Championship.
"Cristina made some intentional changes to her game over the summertime but I don't think they were ready in the fall," McDaniel said. "She wasn't in the lineup much. She went home and went back to the drawing board and played in two really good tournaments to compete at a high level. You can't test it unless it's during real competition. Those two tournaments were really good for her."
The Lamkin Invitational begins with the first two rounds Monday followed by the final 18 holes on Tuesday.
CAL LINEUP:
- Katherine Zhu
- Cristina Ochoa
- Jasmine Lew
- Elena Arias
- Kristine Tran