Lee’s big moment arrives at last

Adam Candee

Thursday, Nov. 4, 2004 | 9:17 a.m.

It felt like three months for Missy Ringler, and more like three years for Hwanhee Lee.

Actually, Lee's approach shot at No. 18 really only hung in the air for a few seconds. But when it dropped within 4 feet of the hole Wednesday afternoon at Anthem Country Club, Ringler stepped away from the green and exhaled a big breath that marked the end of a long wait for both the UNLV women's golf coach and one of her senior standouts.

Lee completed that birdie on her final hole for a 2-under 70 and a one-stroke victory in the Las Vegas Founders Collegiate Showdown. Her 1-under total also paced the Rebels to their first team victory of the season in the 54-hole event, closing at 11-over for three days, good for a five-shot triumph over third-ranked Washington.

After a mediocre start to the fall that dampened a strong finish from last season, Ringler said before Monday's opening round that her team appeared ready to improve its play. The Rebels battled some internal problems that plagued their first three months, but overcame them to place three players in the top five in a field that featured four top-25 teams.

"They really started feeling that team bond and I think that was the thing we were lacking most throughout the fall," Ringler said.

Seema Sadekar, a sophomore, closed with a 1-under 71 to finish at 1-over, good for fourth place. Junior Elena Kurokawa also shot 71 to finish tied for fifth place at 2-over.

"That's where we need to be to win tournaments and to get back to the level where we were last year, to the national championship," Ringler said.

For Lee, it's a level she first found as a freshman under former coach Kelley Hester in the 2001-02 season. Lee won at San Diego State and enjoyed a stellar first season, leading the Rebels in stroke average (77.08) and top-10 finishes (two).

And while she remained in the starting five during the next two years, Lee struggled to reclaim the standard she set in her opening year. She hit the bottom this season when Ringler left her home for UNLV's trip to Stanford.

Lee responded to the benching by grabbing the second-round lead this week and avoiding a three-way playoff with her closing birdie.

"I'm pretty speechless right now," Lee said.

Lee pinned her difficulties on an inability to focus on her golf game. She did some soul searching with her father and spoke with Ringler, and tried to focus on the goals of the stress management class she is taking to help stop the self-described battles in her head.

For a three-time American Junior Golf Association All-American who once held the record for being the youngest woman to play in the U.S. Women's Amateur, talent definitely was not the something. With her head quieted this week, Lee began to rediscover her game.

"I'm just so happy for her," Ringler said. "She's been struggling with some things mentally and we didn't take her to Stanford. There were some attitude things that we were trying to work on. She responded."

The win could help the Rebels rise in the national rankings, where they currently sit at No. 42. The confidence boost comes at an opportune time, as UNLV prepares to take on top-ranked Duke next weekend in the first of its matches at the Hooters Collegiate Match Play in Mission Inn Resort, Fla.