Oct. 2, 2003

The Kentucky women’s golf team will play host to the Wildcat Fall Invitational on Friday, Oct. 3, through Sunday, Oct. 5, at the University Club of Kentucky. The 54-hole tournament will feature 18 teams from around the country, including top-25 teams Vanderbilt, Miami (Fla.) and Mississippi State.

The Cats are coming off a 15th-place finish at the Mason Rudolph Women’s Championship in Franklin, Tenn., last weekend. UK has been led by a newcomer in each of its first two tournaments, as sophomore transfer Erin Faulkner led UK with a 21st-place finish in the season-opening Cougar Fall Classic and freshman Marissa Muir ended last week’s tournament as the top Kentucky finisher.

“For a young team, I think every tournament we get under our belt is going to make us that much better,” Coach Stephanie Martin Barker said. “And with this one being at home, we can play a few more people.”

The Cats are also looking to improve upon their third-place finish in last year’s event. Former Cat Kelly Anders finished in a tie for second and Eva Gessner, now a senior, took sixth last year with a two-day total of 148 on the par 72 course. Tennessee took top team honors at the tournament last year and UT’s Viloeta Retamoza earned medalist honors.

The tournament, which is in its 21st year and second at the University Club after a four-year hiatus, will begin on Friday at 9:00 a.m. and conclude on Sunday with an awards ceremony at 2:00 p.m. Complete results will be available after each round at www.ukathletics.com.

“We have a strong field from all around the country,” Director of Golf Operations Bettie Lou Evans said. “The course is in great shape right now and we hope that the home course will be an advantage to our team.”