Dec. 8, 2005
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YOUNG LOBOS COMPLETE SUCCESSFUL FALL: The New Mexico women’s golf team ended the fall campaign ranked 23rd in the nation. UNM actually fell from No. 15 after a sixth-place finish in its final competition of the season at The Landfall Tradition in North Carolina. The Lobos begin their 2006 spring campaign Feb. 13-16, at the Regional Challenge in Palos Verdes, Calif.
YOUTH IS DEFINITELY SERVED: Ranking among the top-25 programs nationally is nothing new for New Mexico, but considering the 2005-06 roster only has one senior in Christine Fernandez, it’s a pretty heady accomplishment.
Two true freshmen – Mikalea Backstedt and Py Bengtsson – played in all four tournaments during the fall season, while a third frosh – Morgan Grantham – participated in the final competition at The Landfall Tradition. UNM played two tournaments (Colorado State and New Mexico State) with all underclassmen.
FALL REVIEW: New Mexico claimed two second-place finishes, a third and a sixth in four fall tournaments.
The Lobos opened the season at the Ptarmigan/Ram Fall Classic played at the Ptarmigan Country Club in Fort Collins, Colo. UNM finished second to Baylor at 874 after firing a 4-over 292 on the final day. Junior Ashley Rollins shot a final round 69 (3-under) to finish in fourth place at 2-under 214. Freshman Mikaela Backstedt tied for 10th at 2-over 218 followed by fellow Swedish freshman Py Bengtsson in 14th place at 4-over 220.
UNM hosted the 27th Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational at the University of New Mexico Championship Course in late September. Third-ranked Pepperdine shot a final round 5-under (287) to finish at 3-under 873, edging unranked Texas A&M by two shots. The Lobos finished third at 6-over 882 followed by No. 14 UNLV (883) and 24th-ranked Ohio State (886). The Lobos carded a 2-over 294 in the final round and were within one shot of the lead before losing a few strokes down the stretch. Backstedt finished fourth at 4-under 215.
At the Price’s Give ‘Em Five Intercollegiate played at the New Mexico State University Golf Course in Las Cruces, Backstedt birdied the first playoff hole to win the individual title.
Backstedt became the first freshman in the history of New Mexico women’s golf to win a tournament and the first Lobo, regardless of classification, to claim a title since Katrina Leckovic captured the 2003 UNLV Invitational.
Playing in just her third collegiate tournament, Backstedt and the University of San Francisco’s Jessica Potter, each finished 54 holes at 3-under 216. Backstedt, who shot a 1-over 73 in the final round, set up the winning birdie by knocking her approach shot within eight feet on the par-4 10th hole. Potter made par.
As a team, 15th-ranked UNM tied host New Mexico State for second place at 893, two shots behind champion Missouri.
The final tournament was at The Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, N.C. The two-time defending champion Lobos moved up one spot to finish in sixth place against a tough field.
Playing with three true freshman in the lineup, the Lobos had their best round of the tournament on the final day – a 13-over 301 – to end at 65-over 929. Fifth-ranked Purdue scorched the course with a 2-under 286 on the final day to outdistance the field, beating 13th-ranked Wake Forest by 17 stokes.
Backstedt led UNM again. She shot a 3-over 75, providing a 54-hole total of 7-over 223, good for a tie for eighth. True freshman Morgan Grantham, playing in her first collegiate tournament, recorded the Lobos’ low round of the final day. Grantham shot a 2-over 74 in the final round, finishing at 19-over 235 and in a tie for 29th place.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: Arguably one of the top newcomers in women’s collegiate golf, freshman Mikaela Backstedt turned in a debut that could be nothing short of stunning. The Hollviken, Sweden, native is currently ranked 22nd in the nation by Golfweek magazine with a rating of 71.69. She is the top golfer in the Mountain West Conference with a scoring average of 72.42 and was named MWC Golfer of the Month for September and October.
Backstedt has been a model of consistency, shooting between 69 and 75 in her first 112 collegiate rounds. The Lobo freshman scoring record is 74.62 by Backstedt’s teammate, Ashley Rollins, in 2003-04.
Rollins, who played in three fall tournaments, is ranked third in the Mountain West and 88th nationally.
BACKSTEDT NAMED MWC GOLFER OF THE MONTH TWICE: New Mexico freshman Mikaela Backstedt was named the Mountain West Conference Women’s Golfer of the Month for September and October.
Backstedt started with a 10th-place showing at the Ptarmigan/Ram Fall Classic, carding a 2-over 218 (71-73-74) and helping the Lobos to a second-place finish.
In her second collegiate tournament, Backstedt finished fourth in the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational after shooting a 4-under 215 (70-72-73) on the UNM Championship Course. The field featured seven nationally ranked teams.
In October, Backstedt recorded back-to-back top-10 finishes, including medalist honors at the Price’s Give `Em Five Intercollegiate. In six rounds of play, she recorded a 72.67 stroke average.
At the Price’s Give `Em Five Intercollegiate, Backstedt birdied the first playoff hole to win the individual title after shooting a 3-under 213 (71-69-73). The 19-year-old became the first freshman in the history of New Mexico women’s golf to win a tournament and the first Lobo, regardless of classification, to claim a title since senior Katrina Leckovic captured the 2003 UNLV Invitational.
Backstedt and the University of San Francisco’s Jessica Potter each finished 54 holes at 3-under 213. Backstedt set up the winning birdie by knocking her approach shot within eight feet on the par-4 10th hole, while Potter made par.
PLAYER NOTES: Junior Ashley Rollins shot a UNM Championship Course record 8-under-par 65 during a qualifying round for the season-opening tournament at Colorado State. Rollins, who shot a 69 in the final round at Colorado State, is a two-time all-conference performer and was the 2004 Mountain West Freshman of the Year.
Lobo freshman Py Bengtsson, playing as an individual in the McGuire Invitational, recorded her first career hole-in-one. It came in the first round when she shot a 3-under 70. Bengtsson used a 9-iron to ace the uphill 123-yard 12th hole. At Colorado State, Bengtsson fired a 69 in her second collegiate round, tying Ashley Rollins for low score of the season.
Sophomore Giselle Claux had her best career finishes – in relation to par – the first two tournaments of the season. Claux finished 11-over at Colorado State, then 10-over at the McGuire.
Sophomore Alexandra Phelps shot a career-low 71 (2-under) in the second round of the McGuire. Phelps finished at 3-over 222, her low score for 54 holes.
LOBOS SIGN TWO: University of New Mexico head women’s golf coach Jackie Booth has announced on Nov. 17 the signing of two high school players to national letters of intent. Both will be freshmen in 2006-07. Britney Choy is currently a senior at Leilehua High School in Wahiawa, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. Jodi Ewart is a senior at The Wensleydale School in Middleham, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, England.
Britney Choy…..5-7…..Wahiawa, Hawaii (Leilehua HS)
A senior at Leilehua HS in Wahiawa, Hawaii on the island of Oahu…two-time state high school champ, shooting a 3-over 147 (73-74) as a sophomore at Wailua GC on the island of Kauai…won three straight (2001-03) Callaway state junior championships…can consistently drive in the 260- to 270-yard range…has a 3.5 GPA…2005…finished tied for 22nd at the Junior World Championship and advanced to the second round in the championship flight of the Women’s Trans National Amateur Championship, a tournament comprised mostly of college players…2004…captured the Oahu Interscholastic Association title by 11 shots, firing a 144 (76-68) and earning OAI player of the year honors…PERSONAL…born Nov. 30, 1988…full name is Britney Ann Choy…age is 17.
Jodi Ewart…5-5…Middleham, North Yorkshire, England
A member of the England Elite U18 World Class Potential Squad for the past four years…handicap is +1…also a member of England U18 International, winning three of four matches last year, and the Yorkshire County Elite Training Squad…Yorkshire Girls U18 Team member since 1999…2005…Yorkshire girl’s champion at 4-under-par…Daily Telegraph junior champion, winning by two shots with a 3-over-par at Dubai Creek…won five of six matches, helping lead England to the European championship over Sweden…placed 15th (3-over) at the Scottish Ladies Open played at Royal Troon…finished at 1-over to place 9th at the Welsh Ladies Open…2004…finished 8th at the British Ladies Amateur Strokeplay Championship…PERSONAL…born Jan. 7, 1988…played soccer as well at Wensleydale…enjoys tennis, field hockey and track and field…father is a jockey.
“We are very excited to add Britney and Jodi to our lineup,” said Booth. “They both have a lot of national experience and will help make our team very strong next year. Britney can hit her drives 270 yards and has a great short game as well. Jodi is a very steady player. She hits the fairways and greens and when her putter gets hot she can shoot some low scores. They both fell in love with our golf course and practice facility and are very excited to be Lobos.”
SPENCE NAMED NCAA WOMAN OF THE YEAR: Former UNM women’s golfer Christina Spence was named the state of New Mexico recipient for the NCAA’s annual Woman of the Year. Spence, a native of Port Alberni, B.C., Canada, and a four-year letterwinner from 2002-05, is currently in her first year of Law School at the University of Victoria.
Now in its 15th year, the NCAA Woman of the Year recognizes outstanding female student-athletes who have excelled in academics, athletics and community leadership. Chosen by a committee of representatives from member institutions, 29 of the 2005 state honorees are from Division I, while 16 represent Division II and six are from Division III. They represent 15 sports.
This year’s state winners were chosen from a pool of 352 nominations, 76 more than in 2004 and the most since 2000, when there also were 352 candidates for the honor.
NCAAs AT UNM IN 2008: The NCAA announced last fall that the 2008 Division I Women’s Golf Championships will be played at The Championship Course. The event, scheduled for May 20-23, 2008, marks the fifth time that the NCAA Championships will be held in Albuquerque.
The UNM Championship Course, which was recently named one of the top 10 collegiate courses in the nation by Golfweek magazine, is no stranger to major tournaments. It was the site of the 1976, 1992 and 1998 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships as well as the 1991, 1995 and 2002 NCAA West Regionals. In 1987, the course hosted the NCAA Women’s Championships, and was also the site of the 1994 NCAA Women’s West Regional. The home course advantage helped the Lobos in 1987, as Caroline Keggi claimed UNM’s only individual national title in golf.
“This is really exciting for our program,” said New Mexico women’s golf coach Jackie Booth. “This will definitely help in recruiting our future classes, knowing that they will be able to play the site of the NCAA Championships every day.”
Booth has experience coaching and hosting the NCAA Championships. When she was the head coach at New Mexico State, the Aggies hosted the 1988 NCAA Championships in Las Cruces.
“It was a great experience at New Mexico State – they really rolled out the red carpet for the event, and I’m expecting the university and the city will do everything they can in making this a first-class event for all the participants from across the country,” Booth said. “It will be a lot of fun to have the biggest tournament of the season right in our back yard.
“It’s an honor for our course to be considered an NCAA site,” said Booth. “I always felt like it was one of the top collegiate courses in the country. When I’m recruiting, I know that if they can play well on our course, they can play well anywhere. The size of the greens and the length of the course presents an immense challenge for any player.”