Women's Golf
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Alma Mater:
- UCLA, '94
- Year at UCLA:
- 24th in 2022-23
- Email:
- cforsyth@athletics.ucla.edu
Career Highlights
- UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame (2023)
- NGCA Coaches Hall of Fame (2011)
- 2-time NCAA Champion (2004, 2011)
- WGCA National Coach of the Year (2004)
- Golfweek National Coach of the Year (2011)
- 4-time WGCA Regional Coach of the Year (2004, 2010, 2012, 2018)
- 6-time Pac-10/12 Coach of the Year (2002, 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2018)
- 5-time Pac-10/12 Champion (2004, 2005, 2006, 2017, 2018)
Biography
Two-time NCAA Champion head coach Carrie Forsyth announced her retirement after 24 years leading the UCLA women's golf team on April 24, 2023. Forsyth became the fourth member of the program to be inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame on June 8, 2023.
In 24 years as head coach at UCLA (1999-present), Forsyth led the Bruins to two NCAA titles, nine NCAA Regional Championships and 75 tournament victories. With Forsyth, the Bruins have finished top three at the NCAA Championships on eight occasions, and 17 of her golfers have placed top 10 as individuals at nationals. Forsyth's five Pac-12 Championships rank second in conference history and lead all active coaches.
"I have been blessed to call UCLA my home for 29 years," Forsyth said. "It has been a privilege to live out my dream as the head coach at my alma mater and carry on the legacy of our golf program at this world-class institution for more than two decades. I have had the opportunity to coach some of the most amazing and dedicated student-athletes in the sport, and I will forever cherish our journey together. I want to thank my associate head coach and dear friend Alicia Um Holmes for her care and attention toward our team. I cannot overstate my gratitude to the UCLA administrators and the athletic department as a whole for its support of myself and our program over the years. I am thrilled to continue shaping our bright future at UCLA."
Forsyth needed just five seasons to win her first national title in 2004. From that point on, she sustained unprecedented success within the program with eight-straight top three finishes at both the Pac-12 Championships and NCAA Regionals between 2004-2011. She was named Golfweek National Coach of the Year in 2011 and the WGCA National Coach of the Year in 2014 after the Bruins claimed their third NCAA Regionals victory. One of the most successful coaches in conference history, Forsyth has been named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year six times in her career, which ranks most all-time.
Forsyth is a six-time Pac-10/12 Conference Coach of the Year, earning the award in 2018, as well as in back-to-back seasons twice (2011-2012; 2004-2005) and in 2002. Forsyth was also named the WGCA Region Coach of the Year in 2018, the fourth time she has been bestowed the award (2012, 2010, 2004).
Six of Forsyth's Bruins were named Pac-10/12 Golfer of the Year (Vu, 2018; Bronte Law, 2015 and 2016; Alison Lee, 2014). Tiffany Joh was the league Golfer of the Year in 2008, while Mayorkas earned the award in 2004. Seven Bruins received Pac-10/12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year: Tavatanakit (2018), Vu (2016), A. Lee (2014), Erynne Lee (2012), Joh (2006), Hannah Jun (2004) and Yvonne Choe (2002).
Along with its six conference Players of the Year and seven league Freshman/Newcomers of the Year, UCLA has received 61 All-Pac-10/12 First or Second Team honors since 2000. A total of 26 players have won 70 individual tournament titles during Forsyth's tenure, as the Bruins have won 74 events as a team.
With Forsyth, UCLA claimed five Pac-10/12 Conference titles, last winning the league championship in back-to-back seasons 2017 and 2018. The Bruins also won back-to-back-to-back Pac-10 titles in 2004, 2005 and 2006. UCLA placed in the top 3 of the conference on 15 occasions. Five Bruins have won the conference individual championship: Charlotte Mayorkas (2004), Tiffany Joh (2007), Alison Lee (2014), Lilia Vu (2017) and Patty Tavatanakit (2018). Vu defeated the field in 2017 by six shots, with Tavatanakit besting Vu in a playoff in 2018.
The Bruins received a total of 107 All-American awards in Forysth's 24 seasons, 56 WGCA/NGCA honors and 51 Golfweek accolades. Fourteen UCLA golfers hauled in 27 WGCA First-Team All-American Awards under Forsyth's tutelage. In 2018, Vu was the second Bruin to be named PING WGCA Player of the Year, joining Law in 2016. Law was also the second Bruin to earn Golfweek Player of the Week honors (A. Lee - 2014). In 2016, Law became the second Bruin recipient of the ANNIKA Award, joining Lee. Also on the national level, Tavatanakit was the 2018 WGCA Freshman of the Year, joining A. Lee (2014) and E. Lee (2012) as Bruin recipients. Forsyth's most recent star, Emma Spitz, was three-time ANNIKA Award Finalist and WGCA First Team All-American (2020, 2021, 2022) as well as selected as a Honda Sport Award for Golf finalist (2020-21).
Forsyth guided dozens of Bruins into the professional ranks. Current LPGA Tour stars that have been coached by Forsyth include Law, A. Lee, Vu, Tavatanakit, Ryann O'Toole and Mariajo Uribe.
Three of Forsyth's golfers have won an LPGA Major event. Most recently, Vu won The Chevron Championship at The Club at Carlton Woods yesterday in Houston, Texas to become the second Bruin to win the event in the last three years. Tavatanakit claimed her first major at the 2021 Chevron Championship. Melissa "Mo" Martin became the first Bruin to hoist a major championship trophy at the 2014 Women's British Open.
Two of Forsyth's student-athletes earned their LPGA cards while being enrolled at UCLA. In 2014, Alison Lee won the LPGA Qualifying Tournament to become the second player in school history to earn her tour card. The first was Stephanie Kono in 2011.
On Dec. 6, 2011, Forsyth was inducted into the NGCA Coaches Hall of Fame. She married James Forsyth on July 26, 2003, and the couple resides in Santa Clarita with their twin sons and daughter.
UCLA posted four second-place finishes in the 2020-21 season. Spitz posted a runner-up finish at NCAA Championships in Scottsdale (-7, 281) as well as captured her second tournament title at 8-under 208 at the NCAA Regionals in Louisville. Spitz became an ANNIKA Award Finalist and WGCA First Team All-American for the second time of her career as well as a First Team Pac-12 selection for the first time of her career. Annabel Wilson recorded four Top 10 finishes and paced the Bruins at the Pac-12 Championships with a seventh-place finish (-1, 212).
During the 2019-20 abbreviated season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bruins posted three second-place finishes, a third-place showing and two fourth-place appearances in eight events. Emma Spitz won her first career event at the Bruin Wave Invitational. She was named a finalist for the ANNIKA Award and a First Team WGCA and Golfweek All-American. Emilie Paltrinieri earned WGCA Third Team All-American honors and Golfweek A-A Honorable Mention plaudits. (No season-ending Pac-12 Conference awards were given).
In 2018-19, the Bruins finished 20th at the NCAA Championships, winning a pair of tournaments (Golfweek Conference Challenge, Dual Match Versus Denver). UCLA secured seven individual titles, led by three from Tavatanakit (ANNIKA Intercollegiate, Dual Match vs. Denver, NCAA East Lansing Regional). Wu won twice (Dual Match, PING/ASU Invitational), as did Galdiano (Golfweek Challenge, Stanford Intercollegiate). Tavatanakit was a First Team WGCA and Golfweek All-American, Galdiano was a Third Team Golfweek All-American and an Honorable Mention WGCA All-American and Wu was an Honorable Mention Golfweek All-American. Galdiano and Tavatanakit were also First Team All-Pac-12.
In 2017-18, the Bruins defended their Pac-12 Championship, beating the field by 12 strokes to win their seventh league title. In addition to the team victory, Tavatanakit defeated Vu in a playoff to take home medalist honors. Tavatanakit became the sixth Bruin golfer to take home the Pac-12 individual title and second in a row (Vu). UCLA was the No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament and won the stroke-play portion of the NCAA Championships, its seventh victory of the year, which tied a single-season school record. The Bruins swept the major Pac-12 awards, with Vu being named Golfer of the Year, Tavatanakit Freshman of the Year and Forsyth earning league Coach of the Year accolades. Vu, who won four times on the season to give her a school-record eight for her career, was also named PING WGCA Player of the Year, while Tavatanakit, who also won four times, the most ever for a UCLA first-year player, was named WGCA Freshman of the Year. Tavatanakit and Vu were named WGCA and Golfweek First Team All-Americans, Galdiano earned Second Team WGCA and Golfweek All-American and First Team All-Pac-12 honors and Wu was a Second Team All-Pac-12 honoree.
In 2016-17, UCLA won four times at the Stanford Intercollegiate, the Gifford Great 8 Collegiate Match Play, the Anuenue Spring Break Classic and the Pac-12 Championships. The Bruins also had two players combine to win five individual titles. Before she turned pro, Law won the Stanford Intercollegiate in October for the third year in a row. Then, Vu turned in one of the most dominant stretches ever in college golf, winning four straight events (Bruin Wave Invitational, Anuenue, Silverado Showdown and Pac-12), a first in school history. Vu would earn WGCA and Golfweek First Team All-American honors, as well as First Team All-Pac-12 accolades, Galdiano was named a Second Team Golfweek All-American, Honorable Mention WGCA All-American and All-Pac-12 First Team and Wu was recognized on the All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention squad.
In 2015-16, the Bruins won five stroke-play events, including the NCAA Championships, finishing as a semifinalist in the match-play portion. Among UCLA's other four victories were its own Bruin Wave Invitational. Law, the winner of the ANNIKA Award, as well as the WGCA, Golfweek and Pac-12 Golfers of the Year, led the team with a 70.6 scoring average, shooting 40 shots under par, while Vu, the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, was eight shots under par for the year with a 71.7 scoring average.
In 2014-15, UCLA featured the Pac-12 Golfer of the Year in Law, who was also named First Team WGCA All-American and All-Pac-12, leading the conference and ranking seventh nationally with a 71.9 stroke average. She was also a two-time Pac-12 Golfer of the Month in 2014-2015, while Erynne Lee was named to the WGCA All-American team. The Bruins placed fourth at the Pac-12 Championships, and after starting slow at the NCAA Championships, rebounded to finish in 15th place. Off the course, the Bruins won the Don Shepard Award for highest team GPA at UCLA for the third straight year.
Between the 2010-11 and 2013-14 seasons, the Bruins won 40 percent of their tournaments, taking home 19 titles in 47 events. In 2013-2014, UCLA won four times, including five individual victories. Three of those were by Pac-12 individual champion Alison Lee, who among her many awards earned were Pac-12 Golfer and Freshman of the Year, the ANNIKA award (nation’s top player), Golfweek Player of the Year and WGCA Freshman of the Year. The 2011-2012 campaign saw the Bruins tie a school record with seven victories. It was another Lee, Erynne, who was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, in addition to NGCA FOY. UCLA also won seven tournament titles in 2008-2009 and 2003-2004.
In 2011, the Bruins won the NCAA team title for the second time under Forsyth’s leadership. The entire five-player lineup of Kono, Ani Gulugian, Lee Lopez, Tiffany Lua and Glory Yang were named All-Americans.
The Bruins posted the postseason trifecta in 2004, winning the NCAA, Regional and Pac-10 Championships.
Before Coaching
Forsyth served as the head coach at CSUN from 1996-99, where she was named the 1998-99 Big Sky Coach of the Year. In her three seasons, the Matadors improved their team scoring average by 31 strokes.
In 1990, the former Carrie Leary entered UCLA as a walk-on player and earned a scholarship after her first year. As a freshman she played in 11 tournaments, including the Pac-10 and NCAA Championships. She graduated with honors from UCLA in 1994 with a degree in psychology and also served as the Bruins’ student assistant coach during the 1993-1994 season.
As an amateur, Forsyth competed in four U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championships and advanced to the quarterfinals in 1991. She also competed in three U.S. Amateur Championships and was an alternate qualifier for the 1992 and 1994 U.S. Women’s Open Championships. Forsyth played on several LPGA mini-tours and competed in the 1995 LPGA Tour Qualifying School.
Forsyth enjoyed a fine junior career before coming to UCLA. She won over 30 events as a member of the Southern California Junior Golf Association, including a third-place individual finish at the 1983 Junior World Championship. She graduated from Canyon High School in 1989 and lettered on the boy’s golf team for four years, earning MVP honors as a senior.
Carrie Forsyth's Year-by-Year UCLA Head Coaching Record| YEAR | EVENTS | WINS | INDIVIDUAL WINS | TOP 5'S | TOP 10'S | PAC-10/12 | REGIONALS | NCAA FINISH |
| 1999-00 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 3rd | 14th | N/A |
| 2000-01 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 7th | 4th | T-5th |
| 2001-02 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 2nd | 1st | 21st |
| 2002-03 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 3rd | 3rd | T-5th |
| 2003-04 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 12 | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| 2004-05 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 1st | T-1st | 2nd |
| 2005-06 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 1st | 2nd | 11th |
| 2006-07 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd |
| 2007-08 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 2nd | 1st | 2nd |
| 2008-09 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 3rd | 1st | 2nd |
| 2009-10 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 2nd | 2nd | 6th |
| 2010-11 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 3rd | 1st | 1st |
| 2011-12 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 4th | T-1st | 8th |
| 2012-13 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 3rd | 7th | 4th |
| 2013-14 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 4th | 1st | 3rd |
| 2014-15 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 4th | 2nd | 15th |
| 2015-16 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 2nd | 3rd | 1st (Stroke Play)/T-3rd (Match Play) |
| 2016-17 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 1st | 8th | N/A |
| 2017-18 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 1st | 2nd | T-1st (Stroke Play)/T-5th (Match Play) |
| 2018-19 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 6th | 3rd | 20th |
| 2019-20 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 8 | canceled | canceled | canceled |
| 2020-21 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 10 | T-5th | 1st | 15th |
| 2021-22 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 13 | 4th | T-2nd | 4th (Stroke Play)/T-5th (Match Play |
| 2022-23 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 8th | 8th | N/A |
| TOTALS | 276 | 75 | 70 | 206 | 261 | 5 Titles | 8 Titles | 2 Titles |
