THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2005
SPORTS
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Jayhawks shoot for regionals
Weekend offers opportunity for conference title
By TRAVIS ROBINET
trobinet@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIETER
The women's golf team had one main goal for this season: to reach the NCAA Regional Tournament.
The Jayhawks' fate on reaching their goal rests on this weekend, when they will be playing for a Big 12 Conference title and a regional bid.
Kansas traveled to Austin, Texas, yesterday to play at the University of Texas Golf Club for the conference championship. Coach Erin O'Neil said the team did not have to finish at the top to make it to regionals.
"We don't have to do anything off the charts," she said. "just what we've been doing, middle of the pack."
TOP BIG 12 WOMEN GOLFERS
Even though the Jayhawks do not have to play extraordinary golf this weekend, extra pressure still mounts, as this will be their last tournament if they don't finish well. O'Neil said the Jayhawks would have to stay focused on playing the course
The Kansas women's golf team will need to finish in the middle of the pack at this weekends' Big 12 Conference Championship in order to reach the NCAA Regionals, conch Erin O'Neil said.
No KU golfer is in the conference's top 30 players in stroke average per round. Sophomore Amanda Costner sits on the edge with 76.80. Here are the top 10 golfers the Jayhawks will face this weekend.
Name Team Stroke Average
Annie Thurman Oklahoma State 73.08
Karin Sjodin Oklahoma State 73.48
Hannah Hoch Colorado 74.00
Louise Kenney Iowa State 74.42
Denise Knaebel Missouri 74.70
Maria Ohlsson Missouri 74.70
Lisa Ferrero Texas 74.70
Kelley Louth Texas 75.40
Emily Milberger Oklahoma 75.52
Devan Anderson Texas 75.60
Source: Big 12 Conference
the best they could in order to reach the regionals.
"It's never really spoken about, but that's our biggest goal right now," freshman Annie Giangrosso said. "Obviously we have to live in the present and focus on what we have at hand, but regionals is definitely one of those extra bonuses that is going to come if we play well."
The Jayhawks have been improving throughout the year and are peaking at the right time, O'Neil said.
Kansas is coming of one of its best performances of the season in West Lafayette, Ind., at the Lady Boilermaker Invitational. The Jayhawks finished in sixth place, and sophomore Amanda Costner placed first individually.
"I think they're real excited," O'Neil said. "Last week gave them a big boost. They feel good about it."
Besides improving, the team also has gained confidence.
Giangrosso said she thought she was playing her best golf of
the season. Costner, juniors Chelsey Pryor and Tiffany Woods and sophomore Jill Womble are also contributing to the team and look forward to playing their best, Giangrosso said.
"I think, for the most part, everyone's ready to go," she said. "I think it's important for us to all come together."
Kansas also has the advantage of playing on a familiar course. At the Betsy Rawls Invitational earlier this semester, the Jayhawks played at the University of Texas Golf Club. O'Neil said that experience would help.
"On this course it will be a definite advantage," she said. "It's not an easy course, but not unfair by any means. They will know ahead of time what shots to practice and will be more comfortable mentally."
O'Neil also said conference competition had a special feeling because only the conference teams were there.
"All your family is there and there is a banquet where they award player of the year, freshman of the year and All-Big 12," she said. "It comes with a lot of recognition."
— Edited by Ross Fitch
Cubs juggle lineup move Garciaparra
MLB
ST. LOUIS — Nomar Garciaparra's .163 average landed him in the sixth spot of the Chicago Cubs' lineup for last night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Garciaparra, who's been batting third all season, was in a 4-for-21 skid and had four RBIs on the season. He volunteered to move down in the order if it would help the team.
"I'm not going to be upset about it," Garciaparra said.
"I'm just struggling a little bit, just off. That's the nature of the game and I'll just keep working through it."
Derek Lee, who was batting .385 with a team-leading four home runs and 17 RBIs, switched places with Garciaparra in the lineup. Manager Dusty Baker thought it was best not to tinker with the rest of the order.
"He said, 'I'm not helping us now,'" Baker said. "He just wants to win and I know he feels bad about not contributing. He hasn't struggled this much in a long time."
Yankees in slump lead in tax debt
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — The struggling New York Yankees will be hit with a record luxury tax this year.
Initial projections by the commissioner's office based on opening-day rosters have the Yankees owing $30,637,531, according to information obtained this week by The Associated Press.
The only other team projected to edo w a tax is the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, who would pay $69,177.
Going into last night, the
Yankees were just 5-9, tied with Tampa Bay for last place in the American League East.
Teams with payrolls above $128 million owe tax this year. For the luxury tax, payrolls are based on the average annual values of contracts for all players on the 40-man roster and include benefits. Under that formula, the Yankees opened with a payroll of $204.6 million, followed by Boston ($131.2 million), the New York Mets ($116.4 million), the Los Angeles Angels ($111.2 million) and Seattle ($109.3 million).
The Associated Press
THURSDAY, APRIL 21
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