Warm weather of Arizona awaits Hoosier golfers

What a difference one tournament can make. \nAfter a record-setting day at the UNLV Spring Invitational, the IU women’s golf team is brimming with confidence. \n“We have great momentum” after last week, IU coach Clint Wallman said.\nIU freshman Laura Nochta said IU is confident heading into this week’s Mountain View Collegiate Tournament in Tucson, Ariz.\n“We played well at Vegas and are looking to go into this tournament and keep that up,” she said. \nAt last week’s tournament, the cream and crimson shot a school-record 864 and finished fourth to tie IU’s second best finish this season. The tournament also saw a first for the Hoosiers this season as junior Elaine Harris became the first player since Shannon Johnson last spring to be named Big Ten golfer of the week. Harris placed 10th in Las Vegas.\n“I was really honored to follow in Shannon’s footsteps, and I look to pass it on to the next player as well,” Harris said.\nNow that the success of last week is behind her, Harris and the team look to continue their strong play in this week’s tournament hosted by Colorado.\n“We’ve been working hard and will try to carry the momentum into this week,” Harris said. “We are also feeling confident but at the same time know we can do better.” \nBut Wallman did not want to make a prediction for this week’s tournament.\n“While we have the same group of players, we are focused on the mental preparation and will play the course with respect,” Wallman said. \nNochta agreed with Wallman that this week’s tournament could be tougher, and IU can take nothing for granted.\n“While you always hope to do better than last week, this is a much tougher course, and I will be very happy with a top-10 and finishing around par,” she said. \nIU fans should note that, unlike most previous tournaments this season, live statistics will not be available on www.golfstat.com. \nThis weekend’s tournament Saturday and Sunday is the Hoosiers’ last long road trip of the season before they play closer to home in April with tournaments in Carmel, Ind., and Columbus, Ohio.\nBut the IU coach is not concerned that the cream and crimson will overlook their last major road trip of the season. \n“You have to take every tournament seriously and respect every course equally regardless of where you are playing,” Wallman said.