Freshman Moa Duf.

Courtesy: GoMocs.com

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TOURNAMENT GUIDE

OWINGS MILLS, Md.---Chattanooga’s fledgling golf program is ready to open play in the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship this week in Owings Mills, Md.  The 72-hole, four-day event will be played at the Caves Valley Golf Club May 19-22.

It is amazing progress for Head Coach Colette Murray’s team.  In just the second year since re-starting a program that was ended in the mid-1980’s, Murray has led the team into a position to challenge for the national title.

“It is a bit of a whirlwind,” said Murray.  “Getting to regionals was a great first step, but we were not satisfied just to get that far.  I am so proud of the effort we displayed in Columbus.”

Even still, the accomplishment itself can be a distraction.

“We are not just happy to be there I assure you,” added Murray.  “Our schedule this year was designed to prepare us for this event.  It will not be an easy task, but we will compete and see what happens.”

The Lady Mocs are led by sophomore Emma de Groot.  In 23 career tournaments, she has 13 top 10 finishes and 16 top 20.  The All-Southern Conference performer leads Chattanooga with a 75.87 scoring average in 2008-09.

SoCon Freshman of the Year Maria Salinas ranks second on the team at 76.13 strokes per round.  She is over the elbow injury that slowed her preparation for the Central Regionals.

Sophomore Christine Wolf’s steady play was key at regionals.  Freshmen Maria Juliana Loza and Moa Duf each made key contributions in Columbus to get the Lady Mocs to the finals.

Chattanooga will be paired with Georgia and Pepperdine for the first 36 holes.  The trio will start at 8:30 a.m., on Tuesday, May 19, off the 10th tee.  They shift to the No. 1 tee box on Wednesday with a 12:50 p.m., start time.  Tickets cost $5 per day or an all-session pass can be purchased for $12.

WHO:  Moa Duf.  Duf joined the program in January and has two top 10 finishes in seven tournaments.  Her play at the Central Regional was clutch as she opened with rounds of two-over par 74 to spark the Lady Mocs into the top eight, a position the team held onto in the final round.

WHAT:  NCAA Finals – May 19-22

WHERE:  Caves Valley Golf Club; Owings Mills, Md. – Par 72, 6,443 yards.  Designed by famed architect Tom Fazio.

WHERE ELSE:  Holes 16, 17 and 18 will be streamed live at www.ncaa.com during the final two rounds of the championship.

HOW:  21 Teams and six individuals will converge on Caves Valley G.C.  It is a 72-hole, four day event.  There are two practice rounds on Sunday May 17 and Monday May 18 before the event starts on the 19th.  The Lady Mocs will be paired with Georgia and Pepperdine over the first 36 holes.  The trio will tee off of No. 10 beginning at 8:30 a.m., on Tuesday, May 19, while the Wednesday time will be in the afternoon wave off of No. 1 starting at 12:50 p.m.  The final two rounds will be re-paired by score.

LINEUP:  Emma de Groot (75.87), Moa Duf (78.53), Maju Loza (77.71), Maria Salinas (76.13), Christine Wolf (77.55).  Lineup features two sophomores (de Groot, Wolf) and three freshmen (Duf, Loza, Salinas).

LIVE SCORING link can be found on GoMocs.com.

WEATHER FORECAST

FIELD (Golfweek/Golfstat):  (1/1) Arizona State, (2/2) UCLA, (3/4) USC, (4/5) Oklahoma State, (5/12) Wake Forest, (6/3)Virginia, (7/6) Alabama, (9/9) Purdue, (10/7) LSU, (11/11) Duke, (12/10) North Carolina, (13/14) Denver, (14/13) Pepperdine, (15/15) Georgia, (17/20) Arizona, (21/17) Michigan State, (22/22) New Mexico, (24/24) Tennessee, (26/26) Ohio State, (28/29) Tulane, (29/18) UC Irvine, (31/27) TCU, (36/38) Texas, (46/44) Chattanooga.  Individuals:  Marina Alex, Vanderbilt, Cathryn Bristow, Oregon, Stephanie Connelly, UCF, Kendall Dye, Oklahoma, Alice Kim, UC Davis, Cindy LaCrosse, Louisville