Imagine the sense of amazement last spring when UA men’s golf coach Jim Anderson opened an email from St Andrews Links. The holy shrine of golf. It was an invitation for the Wildcats’ men’s and women’s teams to play in the just-completed St. Andrews Collegiate golf tournament at the historic Old Course in Fife, Scotland.
No Pac-12 or Big 12 golf team had ever played on that sacred golf property.
“We were like, this is amazing,’’ said Anderson.
First-year UA coach Giovana Ѳ⳾Dz’s women's team won its four-team women's field last week, while Anderson's men's team took second, falling to Northwestern in the match play medal round after Anderson's Wildcats led following two days of stroke play.
Both events were televised live on Golf Channel. Imagine the recruiting benefits.
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Arizona began its men’s golf program in 1934, coached by Fred Enke, and won its first tournament in 1938. Anderson coached Arizona to the 2021 Pac-12 championship, the 77th tournament title in school history. Last week’s win at St. Andrews was tournament victory No. 81 for the Wildcats.
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Anderson believes the UA was invited to St. Andrews in part because of its long history of golf success — the school has won four NCAA championships and produced elite golf names such as Annika Sorenstam and Jim Furyk — and because its academic reputation is solid.
The UA women’s team, the most recent UA program with an NCAA national title (2018), is currently ranked No. 8; the men are No. 14.
“I can thank teams over the decades for establishing such a great reputation for successful golf teams,’’ said Anderson. “This has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.’’
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