Ueoka contributing to golf history

By Jackson Morgus

Sophomore Miki Ueoka competed in the NCAA West Regional championships at the ASU Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Ariz., this past week. Only a playoff defeat kept her from becoming the first Santa Clara women's golfer to advance to the NCAA National Championships.

Ueoka was the first Santa Clara women's golfer ever to qualify for the NCAA Regionals.

The Lihue, Hawaii native shot a round of 72 on Thursday, 73 on Friday and 70 on Saturday. She finished tied for ninth place in the field of 108. The top nine golfers advanced to the NCAA National Tournament.

"It had to be just another tournament. I knew that everyone was going to play well, so I just tried to take it shot by shot," said Ueoka.

Ueoka qualified for the West Regional tournament by tying for second place at the WCC Championship, the highest finish in Santa Clara history.

"Now that Miki has broken through that barrier we are ready to take it on as a team," said Santa Clara Women's Golf coach Polly Schulze. At the Regional Tournament, Ueoka was tied for 19th place at one-over-par going into the final round. She got off to a slow start but found her game, completing a stretch in which she birdied five of seven holes on her way to an overall two-under-par 70.

This moved her up ten spots and into a playoff with Oregon's Cathryn Bristow with a berth in the NCAA Tournament on the line. Bristow won the playoff on the second hole.

"I have never had a player who could willfully get herself back in competition before and it is very impressive at this level," said Schulze.

"This year has taught me that I deserve to be playing at this level," Ueoka said about her performance. "I proved that I can do it, but it was more than I expected for this year."

Contact Jackson Morgus at JMorgus@scu.edu