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Women’s golf to change up player list for 4th time in final fall tournament

Senior Mariel Galdiano will return to the UCLA women’s golf lineup after sitting out for the Stanford Intercollegiate. Galdiano and the Bruins will wrap up their fall slate at the Nanea Pac-12 Preview this week. (Courtesy of UCLA Athletics)

By Justin Auh

Nov. 4, 2019 8:10 a.m.

The Bruins will try out their fourth lineup combination this fall.

No. 20 UCLA women’s golf will compete in the Nanea Pac-12 Preview in Kohala, Hawaii, from Monday through Wednesday. The trip will be the team’s fourth and final fall tournament, and coach Carrie Forsyth said she will bring another new lineup to Hawaii.

“We’ve basically traveled a different lineup to every event this fall, and we’ve gotten a chance to see a lot of players play,” Forsyth said. “With two seniors in the lineup this week that have played (in Hawaii) before, we have a little bit more familiarity, which is beneficial especially on this golf course.”

Senior Mariel Galdiano, who tied for 39th in the Bruins’ first two tournaments, will return to the lineup after not participating in the Stanford Intercollegiate. Galdiano has competed in the Nanea Pac-12 Preview each of the past three seasons, with her best finish coming as a freshman, when she placed second.

The Hawaii native said she looks forward to returning home and sharing the experience with her underclassman teammates.

“Once I stepped off the plane (Friday), I knew I was home,” Galdiano said. “I’m really excited for my younger teammates because, for a lot of them, it’s their first time they’ve been to Hawaii.”

Joining Galdiano in a return to the lineup is fellow senior Clare Legaspi, who last competed at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate in September when she opened her season by tying for 36th.

Freshman Emma Spitz, who has been the top Bruin finisher for the previous three tournaments, will maintain her top spot in the lineup. Spitz is coming off a tie for 11th at the Stanford Intercollegiate.

Freshman Ty Akabane is the only other UCLA golfer, besides Spitz, who has competed in every fall tournament. Akabane most recently tied for 11th at Stanford with Spitz, her best career finish thus far.

Rounding out the lineup is freshman Annabel Wilson, who was left out of the initial fall lineup but has since competed in the Bruins’ past two tournaments. Wilson tied for 16th in her collegiate debut at the Golfweek Conference Challenge and tied for 32nd at Stanford.

Wilson said she hopes to take advantage of the final fall tournament to fine-tune her golf game in Hawaii.

“It’s pretty surreal that I’m here in Hawaii,” Wilson said. “I have played average in the last two tournaments. I’m working on a lot of things in my game and I can start to see some improvements, so I have to be patient. I’m just here to learn and enjoy every minute here.”

The Bruins will tee off Monday at the Nanea Golf Club.

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Justin Auh | Sports staff
Auh is currently a Sports staff writer. He was previously a contributor on the men's golf, women's golf and men's tennis beats.
Auh is currently a Sports staff writer. He was previously a contributor on the men's golf, women's golf and men's tennis beats.
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