This week will undoubtedly be a special one for Oregon women’s senior golfer Cathryn Bristow, as she gets set to take on the toughest collegiate competition in the nation at the 2009 NCAA Championships played at the Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md.
This season marks the first time in her four-year career that Bristow has qualified for the national tournament, and she is only the third Duck to qualify individually for the event in school history. But the 2008 All-Pac-10 Second Team selection is not trying to take a different approach to this week’s competition.
“I’m really excited,” Bristow said. “I’m just trying to treat it as another tournament, but obviously it’s nationals so it’s going to be a little different. But I just want to have fun with it.”
The 126-person field – made up of 24 five-person teams and three individuals – should be a great scale of just where she fits in nationally. The Huapai, New Zealand native tied for ninth at the NCAA West Regional last week, and looks to have the right mindset to compete as an individual at such a large venue.
“It would’ve been great if it were the whole team going,” Bristow said. “But I’ve tried to improve every year and continue to work hard on the things that will make me play better.”
Interim head coach Meredith Jones also believes Bristow will be able to manage without the support of her teammates out on the course, commenting that before college play, the majority of golf played is from an individual aspect.
“She’ll be able to do great as an individual,” said Jones. “I think it’s just getting back into that routine.”
Another tough obstacle Bristow will have to overcome is unfamiliarity with the course she’ll be playing.
“I talked to (men’s head coach) Casey Martin and he said it’s pretty tough, and to just try and focus on course management like I do on every course,” Bristow said.
Bristow, who earned season-best rankings of 77th and 73rd in Golfweek and Golf Stat national rankings last week, will also have Jones at her side on each hole, compared to a few occasional ones during regular-season tournaments. The tournament marks the second full year for Jones on the Oregon coaching staff, though it is uncertain at this point what her plans are for the 2009-10 season.
Sophomore standout Kendra Little – a two-time All-Pac-10 Second Team honoree – believes the sky is the limit for Bristow this week.
“Cathryn is a very unique person; she hardly shows any emotion on the course, but that’s what makes her great,” Little said. “I believe she can contend to win the whole thing.”
“She is one of the most clutch players I’ve ever known,” Little said. “With her skill and patience, I anticipate seeing her name at the top of the leader board.”
Bristow will need to maintain that kind of emotion and mentality to reach her ultimate goal of playing golf at the next level. She still has a few classes to finish up next fall, but says she will try to make it professionally after that.
“I plan on trying to play golf professionally either here or in Europe, but I’m pretty much open to anything,” Bristow said.
Now that she has reached her goal of making it to the NCAA Championships, it will be interesting to see just what the future holds for Cathryn Bristow.
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