Hawai'i will take Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year Dale Gammie, a senior from Maui, and its No. 39 national ranking into the opening round of its first NCAA Women's Golf Championship tomorrow in the West Regional.

The 54-hole tournament ends Saturday at Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club in St. George, Utah.

"Most of them have not seen the golf course yet, which is probably a good thing," UH coach Ashley Biffle said. "The last four holes have lava rock, which may make us feel right at home. It will be a good test. Obviously our goal is to finish top eight and qualify for nationals, but getting here is a great accomplishment for us this year so we'll try to enjoy it and do our best."

The Rainbow Wahine are ranked 13th in the West Regional, considered a preliminary round of the 26th annual national championship. There are 324 golfers at the three regionals and 126 will advance to championships finals May 22 to 25 at the LPGA International Legends Course in Daytona Beach, Fla. Eight teams and two individuals advance from each regional.

Hawai'i is enjoying its finest season. It was third at the WAC Championship, five shots behind Idaho. Freshman Corie Hou took fourth, with Lisa Kajihara, Gammie and Xyra Suetsugu also finishing in the top 12. Sophomore Nancy Shon was named the team's Most Improved Player.

It has been an eye-opening experience for Hou, from Australia.

"In the beginning of the year I didn't know what to think about the team," she said. "Everyone had their own little life going on and now our lives revolve around each other because we see each other everyday. The bonding is so strong now it's sad to know it's coming to an end. I really look up to Dale. It's good to know she's only a 20-minute flight away if need be."

Idaho, with Maui's Kelly Nakashima, is ranked 15th in the region. Kaua'i's Lehua Wise, a senior at New Mexico State, was one of three individuals invited.

OPEN QUALIFYING

Combined entries of nearly 10,000 will be cut down to tournament size by the time the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open start next month. That process begins in Hawai'i tomorrow with a local qualifier at Po'ipu Bay.

It continues Saturday when Turtle Bay will be the site of women's and men's qualifiers. Many players in next week's boys state high school championship will take advantage of the U.S. Open qualifier at Waikoloa Kings' Monday. Makena is the Maui site May 19.

Top qualifiers at the four men's sites advance to one of 14 sectionals on the Mainland, in England and Japan. For the first time since 2003 there is not a Hawai'i sectional.

The U.S. Golf Association received 8,544 entries for the 2007 U.S. Open, which will be played June 14 to 17 at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. Players range in age from 12 to 76.

A record 1,251 entries were received for the U.S. Women's Open, June 28 to July 1 at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C. They ranged in age from 11 to 61.

Hawai'i's Michelle Wie (third place last year) and Kimberly Kim (U.S. Amateur champion) are exempt from qualifying. Stephanie Kono, who won sectional qualifying here last year, is exempt from local qualifying.

The women tee off Saturday at 7:30 a.m. off the 10th tee at Turtle Bay's Fazio course. The men tee off at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Turtle Bay Fazio, playing it 264 yards longer than the women.