Event: Fresno State Lexus Classic
Where: Copper River Country Club – Fresno, Calif.
When: Today and tomorrow; all day
Who to watch: Sophomore Alice Kim showed great potential while leading the Aggies during the fall season.
The Diamond Bar High School graduate paced UC Davis with a 72.5 stroke average in 15 rounds this fall, including her team-best 67 during the Heather Farr Memorial Invitational in September.
Did you know? The women’s golf team is under new direction this season. Coach Anne Walker is in her first season at the helm following the emotional retirement of Aggies legend Kathy DeYoung last year.
“Kathy has built a strong foundation for the program to be successful and I look forward to continuing those efforts,“ Walker said. “I‘d like to build a program around character. I want to build a program that is recognized both on campus and in the community.“
Walker served as the associate coach at California and was a three-time captain for the Golden Bears during her playing career.
Preview: After a run at the NCAA Division I Championships last season, the UC Davis women’s golf team will dust off its clubs, grab its umbrellas and hit the greens for the start of a new season.
This fall, the Aggies participated in five tournaments in preparation for the season’s start, racking up four top-10 finishes.
But now, UC Davis will be forced to play much tougher competition as the stakes are increased heading into the start of their spring season.
The new season begins today at Copper River Country Club, a par-72, 6,262-yard course which will host 14 teams this week.
Over 60 athletes will be participating from various leagues, including the Big West, Western Athletic, Big Sky and Mountain West Conferences.
The Aggies won’t be too worried about the level of competition, as they have an imposing lineup of their own.
Like Kim, sophomore Chelsea Stelzmiller also had an impressive fall showing, averaging a 73.2 over 18 rounds with two top 10 finishes.
Senior Brittany Smith has offered experience and leadership to a young UC Davis team, as she is one of the only Aggies on the roster that has been with the program since its inception in 2005.
– Matt Miller
