Illinois women’s golf concluded the Cavalier Regional at Birdwood Golf Course in Charlottesville, Virginia, finishing tied for eighth place. The two-day, 54-hole tournament ran from Sept. 23-24 on a par 71, 6,320-yard course.
The Illini posted rounds of 302, 294 and 296 to total 892 (+40), sharing eighth place with Georgetown. North Carolina took the tournament title with a score of 830 (-22), while Virginia, the host team, finished second at 848 (-4).
Junior Victoria Zheng led the Illini. Zheng’s steady performance placed her among the top 20 golfers in the tournament. She finished 19th overall with rounds of 73, 72 and 74 for a total of 219 (+6).
Sophomore Yurang Li followed closely behind. She tied for 22nd place with a score of 221 (+8) after rounds of 74, 73 and 74. Junior Brielle Mapanao shot 228 (+15) and tied for 39th after rounds of 78, 71 and 79.
Senior Lexanne Halama tied for 43rd with a score of 230 (+17), while junior Anna Ritter tied for 50th with a total of 232 (+19). Halama’s rounds of 77, 78 and 75 were consistent. Ritter also finished strong with a third-round 73 after opening with rounds of 81 and 78.
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The field included 12 teams and 71 players. North Carolina, led by an impressive team score of 278 in round one, kept control throughout the tournament. They weren’t the only stiff competition for Illinois, with Tennessee, NC State and Maryland also playing well.
Illinois struggled early with a challenging opening round but bounced back in rounds two and three. Despite their eighth-place finish, the Illini improved on their lackluster first round with two sub-300 rounds.
Birdwood Golf Course, designed by PGA professional Davis Love III, tested the field with its tricky greens and challenging layout. The course’s 6,320-yard distance played long, and the par 71 design required precision on approach shots and putting.
Illinois looks for continued improvement in upcoming tournaments, especially after a competitive showing in a stacked field. The team will rely on leaders like Zheng and Li to maintain momentum.
Next up, the Illini look to build on this performance as they prepare for the Windy City Collegiate Classic, hoping to climb the leaderboard with stronger rounds.
@Jordan_Goodhart
