The Barometer Online

Issue date: 4/24/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Cory Reed Junior Lauren Archer hits a drive during a practice round at Trysting Tree Golf Course. Archer has been one of OSU's leaders in the spring golf season.

Refueled from a few extra days between tournaments and motivated by a fierce trend of top-3 finishes, the Oregon State University women's golf team looks to go out with a bang, as the NCAA golf season wraps up this weekend with the Women's Pac-10 Championships in California.

The Beavers will aim to stay hot as they head south for the last regular season event on their schedule: a grueling three-day tournament held at the physically demanding Stanford Golf Course.

Couple the challenging dynamics of the course with the stiff competition the team expects to face in the aggressive Pac-10 conference, the weekend begins to appear daunting. Nevertheless, the Beavers are cruising into their big event with confidence.

"We know that the Pac-10 tournament is a great opportunity for us to do something great," junior Lauren Archer said. "We have been working on both our weaknesses and our strengths in practice. It will be difficult, but if all of us put together some good scores, we can compete with any of the teams. I think that we are going to be great."

Archer's confidence is contagious and has spread throughout the team as the big weekend approaches. Lately, the Beavers have been lighting up the leader-boards with strong top-3 finishes in two of their last three events, most recently at the Lady Rebel Intercollegiate held in Oxford, Miss.

Finishing in third place in field of 14 teams requires good, consistent scoring from all members in the lineup. The veteran Archer finished in 22nd, closely behind the emerging freshman Whitney French, who shot a solid even-par 72 in the second round, tying the best round of the day. French tied for 17th place, tying her career-best finish.

Again, sophomore Cara Freeman stole the show, as she shot a scorching 76-73-73, good enough for fifth place overall, only five shots behind the eventual tournament champion. She is emerging as one of the team's most consistent players.

"I was really confident," Freeman said. "I really prepared for that tournament and felt like I was ready. My swing felt very good and my putting was on. It all came together for me."

Continued...

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