Sept. 23, 2012

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UCLA's second-ranked women's golf team will begin the 2012-2013 season this week with a trip to the mountains of Colorado, to compete in the annual Golfweek Collegiate Invitational at the Red Sky Ranch Golf Course in Vail, CO. The three day event will be played from Sept. 24-26.

"We're really looking forward to our first tournament of the season," said Hall of Fame Coach Carrie Forsyth. The Bruins will begin the year with their eyes set on capturing the program's second national title in three years, looking to bounce back after finishing eighth at last year's NCAA Championship. The lineup this week, however, will likely look very different from the group that contends later this season for UCLA's third NCAA crown.

The Bruins face a unique test in their first competition of the season. Sophomores Erynne Lee and Kyle Roig will be traveling to Turkey instead to compete in the World Golf Team Championships, and senior team leader Tiffany Lua will sit the tournament out with an injured wrist. As such, team veterans Ani Gulugian and Lee Lopez will team up with newcomers Jacquie LeMarr and Louise Ridderstrom to round out the squad. And with only four players in the lineup, the shorthanded Bruins will have little room for error.

"We'll be playing four and counting four," Forsyth acknowledged, "so it will be a great opportunity for our two freshmen to learn and compete right away. We always tell our players to compete as if their score will always count, and for this event there's no drop score. They will have an opportunity to contribute in their first college event."

Thankfully for the Bruins, the teams competing this week will also likely look different from the squads lining up at this year's NCAA Championship. The young squad will gain their early season experience against a manageable field headlined by defending tournament champion and preseason #19 Oklahoma along with local rival and preseason #24 Pepperdine.

For tee times and pairings click here.