One shot.
This will be the UCLA women’s golf team’s motto heading into the NCAA championship this upcoming weekend.
UCLA is currently No. 2 and will have to keep its poise by taking one shot at a time on the golf course – especially this year, when the rules have changed.
This year, the first three days of competition will feature all teams competing in normal stroke play for a total of 54 holes.
The fourth day will feature the top-15 teams from the first three rounds in 18 more holes of stroke play. The 72-hole individual champion will also be crowned after the fourth day.
Afterward, the top-eight teams from the final round of stroke play will move onto match play for the next two days.
The new format will be similar to that of a normal bracket tournament, as opposed to simply going through four straight days of stroke play to determine the winner.
“Physically, this format is way more demanding because you’re essentially looking at about eight rounds of golf in seven days, including the practice round,” said coach Carrie Forsyth. “It’s not just casual golf either – it’s going to be high-intensity golf for five-hour rounds. So it’s going to be pretty grueling.”
Despite the mental and physical obstacles that await the Bruins, the team has the advantage of featuring two top-10 players coming into the event.
Sophomore Bronte Law has had an impressive season par of 8-under par, and is currently No. 3 in the country, according to Golfweek magazine.
Law is coming off of a NCAA Regional performance where she finished in second place individually.
“I think for me, it’s going to be important to treat this as any other tournament, whether we’re playing match or stroke play,” Law said. “I just have to play the game I’ve been playing all year, and not changing anything that I’ve been doing to prepare for an event.”
Senior Erynne Lee is No. 8 in the country, and this will be her last chance at an NCAA championship.
Lee is second on the team with a season par of 19-over par, and she will bring a much-needed veteran presence to help the Bruins with their tournament run.
“It’s going to be tough both mentally and physically because Florida has different conditions than California, so we’ll have to adapt,” Lee said. “It’s also the NCAA championship, and we’ve been preparing for this all year. We’ve been able to peak at the right time, so we’re all just really excited.”
With a changed tournament format as well as the pressures of a national championship, the Bruins face their toughest test of the season.
But beyond the two aforementioned players, the rest of the starting lineup will bring something to the table to help the team claim the national title.
Freshman Lydia Choi is coming into the championship with a lot of momentum after a season-best performance at the NCAA Regional, where she placed fifth.
Freshman Erin Choi has been a stable player in the lineup all year long, and looks to make her mark this weekend.
Junior Louise Ridderstrom also brings veteran experience, as she was the Bruins’ best scorer in last year’s NCAA championship – tied for seventh with a score of 2-over par after four rounds.
Ridderstrom finished at No. 32 last year, according to Golfstat rankings. The No. 1 player at the time, then-freshman and former Bruin Alison Lee, tied for 38th with a score of 10-over par.
Perhaps Ridderstrom has saved her best performance of the season for last.
“It’s going to important to enjoy the moment and have fun out there,” Lee said. “Being able to play golf and represent your school is special because not every collegiate player gets to compete at nationals, so it’ll be an honor and a privilege to close out the season at this event.”