UNLV women’s golf opens play at NCAAs

Had Therese Koelbaek stayed in her native Denmark, her golf season would just be starting. Instead she chose to come to the United States, and this week her season will conclude.

The 20-year-old UNLV freshman, wielding a hot putter and playing with confidence, leads her team into today’s NCAA Championships in Albuquerque, N.M. Koelbaek tied for medalist honors at the NCAA West Regional this month, firing a three-round, 6-under-par 210.

She said she sees no reason why her game won’t hold up over the next four days on the University of New Mexico’s Championship Course.

“I’ve been playing more consistent, and lately I’ve been putting better,” said Koelbaek, who leads the Rebels with a 73.7 stroke average and has been the team’s best performer in seven of its last eight tournaments. “My swing has gotten a lot better, and I’ve improved more than I expected.”

Koelbaek said the golf season in Denmark is so short that it is hard to be consistent. Play usually begins around this time of the year, and the season ends in early September. But in the United States — and particularly in Las Vegas — golf can be played year-round.

“That was a big part of my decision to come to UNLV,” she said. “You never have to really worry about the weather, and the courses we play on are so beautiful.”

UNLV coach Missy Ringler knew of Koelbaek’s talent from her play with Denmark’s national team. Koelbaek also had played some junior tournaments in the United States, so Ringler went after her hard.

Ringler’s efforts were rewarded when Koelbaek was named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year.

“She’s a special player,” Ringler said. “She has so much confidence in herself. She never gets rattled, and she’s an extremely focused kid.”

Koelbaek admitted that being 20 helps her handle her emotions on the course better than most freshmen who are one or two years younger.

“I think I handle things better than I used to,” she said. “When I was younger, I used to be hard on myself. I’d hit a bad shot and I would let it bother me. That would lead to another bad shot, then another. Now, I’m more patient. If I hit a bad shot, I just forget about it and move on.”

This is UNLV’s third NCAA Championships appearance. In 2004, the Rebels finished 21st; in 2006, they were 22nd. But Ringler said there’s no pressure this week on her players, none of whom have played in the nationals.

“I don’t want them to have any expectations,” she said. “Just go out and have fun and see what happens.”

Ringler said the team’s recent play indicates it’s good enough to compete at the national level.

“I think they believe they belong,” she said. “We’re so excited to be there. We love that golf course.”

UNLV played the New Mexico layout twice this season with varying results. In late September, the Rebels finished last in the 18-team NCAA Fall Preview, shooting 53 over par. But last month, the Rebels placed third at the seven-team Mountain West Conference Championships with a score of 40 over.

Koelbaek tied for fourth individually last month at 4-over 223, five shots better than she did in September.

“I think it sets up well for my game,” Koelbaek said of the 6,069-yard, par-73 layout. “It’s a fair course. The greens are good, and if you keep it in play, you can make some birdies.”

UNLV’s lineup today will consist of Koelbaek, freshman Alejandra Guacaneme, sophomore Natasha Krishna, junior Kasi Lee and senior Tonya Choate.

Koelbaek knows the competition will be tough, but this is an opportunity for her and her teammates to not only end this season strong but to lay the foundation for what they think will be a big 2008-09 season.

“I think we’ve all been frustrated because we knew we could do better,” she said of this season. “But we’re playing better now, and we believe in ourselves.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.