The University of Hawai'i women's golf team continues its preparation for the Big West Conference Championship by competing in the Fresno State Classic, Monday March 21 and Tuesday, March 22 at the Belmont Country Club in Fresno, Calif.
 
Hawai'i will be making its fifth appearance in the tournament and first since 2009. The Fresno State Classic will be played at the par-72, 6,034-yard course and will include a 15-team field that includes seven Big West teams. Teams will play 36 holes on Monday and 18 on Tuesday with an 8:15 a.m. PT shogun start each day.
 
The Rainbow Wahine will send a contingent of Momo Sugiyama, Hyeonji Kang, Hana Mirnik, Monica Johnson, and Mayumi Umezu. Sugiyama leads the team with a 74.2 scoring average and is coming off a tie for third place at the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational. The Japan native has five Top 5 finishes this season.
 
"We are eager to head out to Fresno to compete in the Bulldog Classic," head coach Stephen Bidne said. "This will be all of our first time going to this event and playing the course but through our preparation and utilizing Google Earth to view the course we should be ready. The tree-lined course is home to Bermuda grass, which is what we have been practicing on lately here at home. From our knowledge of the course, the greens are quick and undulating similar to previous courses we have played this spring, so short game and speed control will be paramount."
 
As a team, the Rainbow Wahine has four Top 3 finishes this season including runner-up two weeks ago at the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational. UH enters the tournament with a season-best No. 85 national ranking, second only to Cal Poly (#69) in the Big West.
 
"The team is looking as sharp as they have all year," Bidne said. "So I'm anxious to keep our strong momentum that we have been building up all spring and play well against a nice strong field. It's 'Bow Time!"
 
Following the Fresno State Classic, UH will next compete in the Cowgirl Classic, April 4-5 in Maricopa, Ariz., before travelling to San Luis Obispo, Calif., for the Big West Championship, April 10-12.
 
Tournament Facts
Date: March 21-22, 2022
Format: 54 Holes (36-18); 5-count-4
Time: 8:15 a.m. PT shot gun start both days
Course: Belmont Country Club
Location: Fresno, Calif.
Yardage (Par): 6,034 yards (72)
Live Scoring: golfstat.com
Field (15): Fresno State, Boise State, Cal, Cal Poly, CSU Fullerton, Hawai'i, Long Beach State, Nevada, Sacramento State, San Francisco, Santa Clara, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, Washington State