Aztecs Kick Off Season in New Mexico

SAN DIEGO – The Aztec women's golf team will kick off their 2023-24 season on Monday in Albuquerque, N.M. when they compete in the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational at the University of New Mexico's Championship Course.

This will be the eighth consecutive season SDSU has opened its fall slate at this tournament. Teams will play 36 holes Monday beginning with a 6:30 a.m. PT shotgun start and then play the final 18 on Tuesday, also with a 6:30 a.m. PT shotgun start.

The 16-team field features three teams listed in the Golf Channel's preseason top 30 (No. 8 Arizona State, No. 22 Pepperdine, No. 28 Iowa State) and four Mountain West schools (Boise State, New Mexico, San Diego State and UNLV). Other teams competing are Cal, Denver, Kansas, Kent State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon State, SMU and Texas State. Additionally, Texas will have individuals competing.

Head coach Lauren Dobashi (3rd season) will use the lineup of Anna Lina Otten, Andrea Gomez, Emma Narita, Anika Sato and Stephanie Barbaglia.

Otten (Neuss, Germany), who had the second best average 18-hole score among returners (76.6), will be making her 24th career start.

Gomez (Huixquilucan, Mexico) had the second highest count percentage (.800) among returners in 2022-23.

Narita (Tokyo, Japan) will be making her first collegiate start. Over the summer she tied for fourth at the 2023 IMG Junior World Championships at Torrey Pines

Sato (Utsonomiya, Japan) had the lowest average score among returners. She averaged 75.1 strokes per 18 holes and had two top-20 finishes last season.

Barbaglia (Johannesburg, South Africa), who joined the Aztecs for the spring season last year, will be making her first career start for SDSU.

This is the 45th annual Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational and the 68th time New Mexico has hosted a women's tournament. The UNM Championship course is par 72 and has a yardage of 6,354 yards.

The forecast calls for warm temperatures with a slight chance of rain Monday afternoon.