2001 Women's Golf Outlook

July 11, 2001

After posting a school-record nine tournament victories last season, head coach Dan Brooks and the Duke women's golf team are looking for much more in the 2001-02 season. The goal...A second national championship.

Looking at the talent on the 2001-02 roster, the Blue Devils should once again be a top contender for the national crown. Duke returns five All-ACC golfers, three All-America selections, one NCAA Individual Champion, two ACC Champions, and welcomes one of the top European golfers to the squad.

"We got a real strong case of winning last year winning nine tournaments," said Brooks. "I think not winning at nationals, but playing well, was a tearful yet inspiring experience. It will propel us to work even harder next year."

Returning for the Blue Devils are-- senior Candy Hannemann (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), junior Kristina Engstrom (Djursholm, Sweden), junior Maria Garcia-Estrada (Tenerife, Spain), sophomore Virada Nirapathpongporn (Bangkok, Thailand), and sophomore Leigh Anne Hardin (Martinsville, Ind.).

In 11 tournaments played last season, a Duke golfer clinched at least a tied for first place finish in eight of them. This included the final five tournaments played and six of the last seven.

"We have had a lot of talent on the team in the past, but I would say one through six last year and this upcoming season are the two deepest squads I have had here at Duke," said Brooks. "We have a lot of talent on the team and as long as we can stay focused on what really matters, which is improvement, we will be fine."

Highlighting the returning letterwinners is Hannemann, the 2001 NCAA Individual Champion and low amateur at the 2001 U.S. Open. Hannemann, the lone senior on the roster, set a school-record as a junior with a 72.88 stroke average along with two victories, two tied for first place finishes, seven top five, and 10 top 10 finishes in 11 tournaments. She was honored with the Honda Award as the National Player of the Year for her incredible season.

Leigh Anne Hardin

"Candy learned how to be a leader last year," said Brooks. "She wasn't our designated leader, but she was a leader anyway. I think she is going to step right in as a senior and lead this team and I look forward to it."

In three NCAA Tournament appearances, Hannemann has posted a first and second place finish. She heads into her final season with 20 top 10 finishes, which ranks fifth all-time.

Engstrom and Garcia-Estrada head into their third year with the Blue Devils. The duo have appeared in 111 rounds over the last two years, while posting two wins, seven top five, and 12 top 10 finishes. Engstrom, a two-time All-ACC selection, saw action in all 11 tournaments as a sophomore with a 76.27 stroke average, while Garcia-Estrada, a second-team All-America as a freshman, played in six tournaments last year. Garcia-Estrada came in her freshman year and won the ACC Championship.

"Maria has made a commitment this summer as she has stayed in the states to work on her game," said Brooks. "I think this September it would show how hard she has worked."

Two of the top young golfers in the nation, Nirapathpongporn and Hardin headline the sophomore class. Each golfer saw action in all 11 tournaments as freshmen with 10 top 10 finishes between them. Nirapathpongporn jumped on the scene with three victories including the ACC Championship and the NCAA East Regional and was honored as a first-team All-America selection. She notched the second-best stroke average on the team with a 73.36 mark and 14 rounds of even or under par.

"I think Oui made some great progress on her swing last year," said Brooks. "I look forward to this year having Oui be exactly mentally where she wants to be on the course. Her swing is very sound."

Virada Nirapathpongporn

Hardin, an All-ACC performer last season, notched a 75.30 stroke average and earned a tied for first place finish in only her second collegiate tournament (Franklin Street Trust).

"Leigh Anne has done some hard work over the summer," said Brooks. "She is a very, very solid player and is always a positive force on the team. She has such a good attitude and has a great work ethic. Leigh Anne was a solid force on our team as a freshman."

The lone newcomer in 2001-02 is Niloufar Aazam-Zanganeh, a freshman from Lausanne, Switzerland. Aazam-Zanganeh comes to Durham as one of the top European golfers in her age group. She is a four-time Swiss Juniors and Ladies National Champion, while notching international wins at the 2001 Spanish Ladies Amateur, 2000 Doral Publix Junior Classic, and the 2000 Portuguese Ladies Amateur. She is also a member of the Swiss National Team.

"Niloufar is a very mature person and handles adversity well," said Brooks. "She has played in Europe in very adverse conditions. A lot of our college golf is not played in that great of conditions so I look forward to having somebody that can show her teammates what it is like to get tough when the conditions are tough."

Down the line, the Duke women's golf team will be able to challenge anyone with six of the top golfers in the nation. During the week, the competition between the team for the top five spots will be intense, which Brooks says is a key to be successful.

"I think having six very good golfers is important," said Brooks. "I always tell my team that the sixth player is the most important player on our team because at whatever level she plays at determines the level of everyone else on the team. If we don't have a push from the sixth player, then the scores will start to dip."