March 2, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.ucfathletics.com) - The inaugural UCF Challenge will not be short of fire power as eight of the country's top 25 women's golf teams will be in action during the 54-hole event at the Villas of Grand Cypress next Monday and Tuesday. The Golden Knights will host the two-day event on the North and South courses, which will play at Par 72 and 6,223 yards.
"This is a great opportunity for my girls to see the best teams in the country play," UCF head coach Emilee Klein said. "It has been my focus since I came to UCF to be at their caliber and hosting an event like this helps get us to that level. It is going to be a fantastic event."
The tournament format includes three rounds played over a two-day period. Teams will play 36 holes on Monday and conclude the tournament with 18 holes on Tuesday. Play commences with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. Monday and a shotgun start on Tuesday beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Defending national champion Duke and current No. 1 Georgia headline the 13-team field that will also feature 15 players, who have earned All-America honors during their collegiate careers. The field also features four of the top five individuals in the latest Golfweek rankings. Vanderbilt's Jacqui Concolino is the top-ranked player, holding the No. 2 spot. Concolino was a second team All-American last year.
The remainder of the ranked field includes, No. 3 Pepperdine, No. 6 Vanderbilt, No. 12 Purdue, No. 16 New Mexico, No. 19 Florida and No. 23 Arkansas. Rounding out the field are the Golden Knights, Alabama, LSU, Ohio State and SMU.
Also, the UCF Challenge will make history as the medalist from the event will receive a sponsor's exemption to play in the LPGA's Sybase Classic on May 14-20 in Clifton, N.J. According to Octagon Golf, the management group for the classic, this is the first time the winner of a collegiate event will receive an exemption to a LPGA tour event.