Quick Turnaround has OU Back in Action

NORMAN -- The University of Oklahoma women's golf team returns to the course this weekend for the 18-team Ruth's Chris Tar Hill Invitational. The invitational, which features 10 squads in Golfweek's Top 25 Countdown, is being played this Friday through Saturday (Oct. 10-12) at the par-72, 6,379-yard UNC Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The Sooners are coming off a 15th-place finish at their own Schooner Fall Classic last weekend in Norman. After an even-par final day, OU logged a three-round 867 (+27). Sophomore Alexandra Kaui tied for 12th place in the event and was followed by OU freshman Hannah Wood, who tied for 16th place after registering a pair of under-par rounds.

Sixth-year OU head coach Veronique Drouin-Luttrell hopes to use her team's final-round success as a springboard for this weekend's event.

“We hope to build off the momentum from Monday's final round at the Schooner Fall Classic,” Drouin-Luttrell said. “We've been to Chapel Hill before and we feel this course will set up well for us.”

The Sooners will start Friday's first round at 10:39 a.m. EST on the 10th tee.

THE FIELD (GOLFWEEK/SAGARIN RANKINGS IN PARENTHESES)
South Carolina (1)
Arkansas (2)
Duke (6)
Vanderbilt (12)
LSU (13)
Auburn (14)
Louisville (19)
Wake Forest (20)
Virginia (22)
North Carolina State (25)
Alabama
Florida
Michigan State
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Ole Miss
Oregon
Rollins College

OU LINEUP
1. Alexandra Kaui, Sophomore: Coming off a tie for 12th place in the season-opening Schooner Fall Classic … Finished 16th at last year's NCAA Championships … 2013-14 Big 12 Freshman of the Year … 2013-14 honorable mention WGCA All-America selection … Boasted a 2013-14 team-best season stroke average (72.76; +1.71)

2. Hannah Wood, Freshman: Coming off a tie for 16th place in the Schooner Fall Classic in which she registered two under-par rounds … Winner of the 2013 Kathy Whitworth Invitational … Named All-Colorado and all-conference all four years of high school … 2014 Colorado state runner-up.

3. Ana Ruiz, Freshman: Coming off a tie for 64th place at the Schooner Fall Classic … Member of the Mexican National Team … Won the AJGA's Mexican Golf Federation Junior Open … Gold medalist at the Mexican Junior Olympics Games … Recorded 11 top-10 AJGA finishes.

4. Maggie Neece, Freshman: Coming off an 88th-place finish at the Schooner Fall Classic … Participated in three tournaments last season … Tied for 36th place at the 2014 SunTrust Gator Invitational and shot a career-best 72 in the opening round.

5. Rylee Pedigo, Freshman: Coming off a tie for 86th place at the Schooner Fall Classic … Qualified for 2014 U.S. Women's Amateur … 2012, 2013 and 2014 Kathy Whitworth Invitational invitee … Named to 10-member North Texas High School Golf Coaches Association Honor Team.

THE COURSE
The par-72, 6,379-yard UNC Finley Golf Course will serve as the host course for the Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invitational.

FORMAT
Teams will compete in 54 holes of stroke play over three days (18 holes each Friday, Saturday and Sunday.) Play begins from holes 1 and 10 at 8:51 a.m. ET on Friday and Saturday with a shotgun start at 9:15 a.m. on Sunday.

WEATHER FORECAST
Friday: High of 84 degrees with a 10 percent chance of rain and S-SW winds at 5-10 mph.
Saturday: High of 84 degrees with a 30 percent chance of rain and W winds at 5-10 mph.
Sunday: High of 70 degrees with a 20 percent chance of rain and E-NE winds at 5-10 mph.

OU'S RUTH'S CHRIS TAR HEEL INVITATIONAL HISTORY
The Sooners logged an 871 (+7) in last year's Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invitational to finish in third place behind eventual national champion Duke (857, -7) and Vanderbilt (868, +4). Then-freshman Alexandra Kaui led OU, finishing in a tie for 19th place at 218 (+2).

LIVESTATS
Live scoring will be available at GolfStatResults.com.