Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Golfers Headed For Japan
April 15, 2003 | Cowgirl Golf
OSU and Ohio State are the only two U.S. women's teams invited to play in the tournament. Men's teams from the U.S. that will compete are Minnesota, Clemson, Arizona State and Fresno State.
The women's tournament will include four Japanese women's teams at the university level. Formerly called the USA/Japan Golf Tournament, this will be the 20th annual event.
Oklahoma State's squad will consist of two seniors: Christi Cano and Linda Wessberg; two sophomores: Jenny Karr and Annie Thurman; and one freshman: Karin Sjöd'n.
After a 13th-place finish at the NCAA Tournament last May, two Cowgirls have made great strides in improving their game this summer.
Cano competed for the U.S. in the Fuji Xerox U.S. vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship, which the U.S. won, 31-29. Cano scored a 74 and teamed with Kristy McPherson in the first round to score two points for the United States. She then halved the second round with Kyoko Furuya by shooting a 74 to score another point. She then lost to Furuya during the final round with a 79.
Thurman won the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links in June, defeating UNLV's Hwanhee Lee, 6 and 5, in the finals. In July, she won the Utah State Amateur tournament by one stroke over BYU's Carrie Summerhays.
Thurman's title at the Publinx earned her a spot in the U.S. Women's Amateur in Scarborough, N.Y. She tied for 21st during the qualifying rounds, but lost to Kristy McPherson, 1-up, in the first round of match play. McPherson was the 2001 and 2002 SEC Champion for South Carolina who earlier in the summer teamed up with Cano at the U.S. vs. Japan tournament.
