After dropping four spots to 12th in yesterday morning's second round, the University of Hawai'i women's golf team tumbled into a tie for 15th by the time the rain-plagued Aztec Invitational ended yesterday at Salt Creek Golf Course in San Diego.

The Rainbow Wahine, with the minimum of four available golfers, opened with a round of 304 Saturday and were tied with 31st-ranked Colorado and Texas Tech in the 18-team field. But, after bad weather postponed play Monday, they could only shoot 329 in each of yesterday's final two rounds. Their 962 total left them tied with Santa Clara in the first tournament of the spring season.

San Jose State, ranked 30th, won with a 54-hole score of 36-over-par 900. UC Irvine's Hillary Packard was medalist at 73—218.

Low individual finisher for Hawai'i was junior Corie Hou, who tied for 45th with rounds of 73-84-81 (238). Seniors Carolina Perez (73-81-87) and Phyllis Lai (78-79-84) both shot 241 for a share of 55th and junior Erin Matsuoka (80-85-77—242) was 60th.

Kaua'i's Miki Ueoka, now at Santa Clara, finished 28th at 233.

Hawai'i heads to Fresno for the Fresno State Lexus Classic Monday and Tuesday.

UH HOSTS BURNS EVENT

Hawai'i will host its 33rd annual John A. Burns Intercollegiate today through Friday at Leilehua Golf Course. The tournament, named after the late Hawai'i governor considered a "sportsman at heart," has featured golfers such as Tiger Woods and Notah Begay.

The year's field is made up of 17 teams, including 14th-ranked Arkansas, 15th-ranked Colorado State and 23rd-ranked UNLV, along with Nevada and San Jose State of the Western Athletic Conference and UH-Hilo. Auburn, ranked 42nd, is defending its championship.

The Warriors feature three freshmen from Hawai'i on their official five-man team this week — TJ Kua (Kamehameha), Jared Sawada (Mililani) and Pono Calip (Kamehameha-Hawai'i). They were UH's highest finishers at their last event.

Kua has been their top finisher at two tournaments this season, with junior Robert Berton leading UH in three events. They are the only Warriors with scoring averages below 74.

Another Hawai'i freshman, 2008 state high school champion Alex Ching (Punahou), is playing for San Diego.

Next month, the Warriors travel to Fresno, Calif., for the FSU Lexus Classic (March 9-10), then head to Japan for the Naris Cup (March 24-25).

SOFTBALL

LOYOLA GAME CANCELED

Today's softball game between Loyola Marymount and the University of Hawai'i has been canceled due to unplayable conditions as a result of the rain storms that have hit Southern California. The game will not be made up.

The Rainbow Wahine continue their road trip to Palm Springs, Calif., where they will play in the 2009 Cathedral City Classic, hosted by Oregon State, tomorrow through Saturday. They will play Maryland, No. 9 Tennessee, Ohio State, and No. 1 Alabama.

TRACK AND FIELD

KAUFMAN HONORED

Amber Kaufman's NCAA provisional mark in the high jump Saturday earned her Western Athletic Conference Women's Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors. Kaufman, a University of Hawai'i junior and all-conference volleyball player, is in her second year on the track team.

She high jumped 5 feet, 11 1/2 inches in her first meet this season — last weekend's Northern Arizona Classic. The mark set a UH indoor record and stands as a conference best. It also tied for the seventh-best jump in the nation this season.

Kaufman is one of two UH athletes to post NCAA provisional marks this indoor season, joining heptathlete Annett Wichmann.

Kaufman won gold at last year's WAC Outdoor Championships and placed fifth at NCAA Championships. She also posted a qualifying mark to participate in the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.

UH hosts the Terry Albritton Invitational Saturday at UH's Clarence T.C. Ching Field. It is the final tune-up before WAC Indoor Championships, Feb. 26 to 28, in Nampa, Idaho.