Razorbacks go West

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The sixteenth-ranked University of Arkansas women’s golf team opens the 2009 season traveling to the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M., Saturday and Sunday.

The Razorbacks, under the direction of head coach Shauna Estes-Taylor, are anxious to get the season started.

"We are very excited to get started," Estes-Taylor said. "We are coming off the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas LPGA Championship and that really got our juices flowing."

Junior Kelli Shean made Razorback history becoming the first player to make the cut at the event held at Pinnacle Country Club last week.

Shean, a Cape Town, South Africa, native, is joined by seniors Kristin Ingram, Alex Schulte and Tiffany Phelps along with junior Corinna Rees for this year’s Branch Law Firm event.

"This is a great place to start our season," Estes-Taylor said. "We played the National Championship here two years ago and know the course. It sets up nice for our player and I think we’ll see some great golf this weekend."

This is the Razorbacks’ second appearance at this tournament but Arkansas’ only other showing came in 2004. The University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course hosts the annual tournament which plays to a par 73 and 6,167 yards.

In addition to battling the golf course, Arkansas faces a talent, mostly West Region, field. That field includes UC-Davis, UC-Irvine, Colorado, Colorado State, Indiana, No. 25 New Mexico, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pepperdine, San Diego State, San Francisco, Texas A&M, TCU, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming.

The event is the first of four in the fall for Arkansas. The Razorbacks travel to the Marilyn Smith/Sunflower Invitational, Sept. 28-29, and have two events in October. For more information about Arkansas women’s golf, log on to ArkansasRazorbacks.com.