In the desert climate of Arizona’s Sonoran, where on an average high in late April heat can be seen rising in waves from the dirt up to the needle tips of cacti, the lushly verdant golf course stands out. And if it wasn’t for the panoramic view of the desert from the course, a golfer may forget he’s in the desert.
Well, maybe not.
“It’s the desert so it will be hot, especially on the first two days. We are up in elevation, the air is thinner and that means the ball will travel even further,” said sophomore Lorens Chan.
UCLA men’s golf will play at the Gallery Golf Club in Marana, Ariz., for the 55th annual Pac-12 men’s golf championship, which runs from Friday to Sunday and is hosted by the University of Arizona.
All 12 teams from the Pac-12 will make their way to this desert oasis for a three-day, 72-hole championship, including an expected hot and grueling 36-hole first day. The championship format is unique in that each team will bring six players, with the lowest five scores counted per each 18-hole round.
“With this scoring the way it is, it will definitely play into our advantage. We have a lot of talented players and that will make the difference,” Chan said. “We’re all starting to play really well and playing good together. We recently won a tournament and finished in third in another, so we have momentum as a team.”
Along with Lorens Chan, coach Derek Freeman is bringing along sophomores Jonathan Garrick and Jake Knapp, juniors Matt Pinizzotto and Preston Valder and senior Anton Arboleda.
The Bruin six will look to weather the harsh desert climate as a team to capture their second tournament win of the season, something that isn’t expected by anyone outside of the golfers wearing UCLA blue and gold.
“It’s the conference championship, so it’s the biggest tournament we’ve had so far this year in terms of bragging rights and playing against the teams we’ve been competing against all year,” Garrick said. “We aren’t expected to win. They are counting us out, but we think we can do it. We think we can win, so it’s a good position to be in, flying under the radar like this.”
Compiled by Brandon Dupre, Bruin Sports contributor.