It’s been a downhill two years for Illinois women’s golf, following its Big Ten championship in 2023. In a season full of low finishes, the Illini Women’s Invitational at Medinah was no different. There were a couple of highlights from the weekend, but four tournaments into the season, the Illini are searching for team improvement.
Lexanne Halama’s big weekend:
Senior Lexanne Halama was the top Illini in Medinah, Illinois. The historic country club that has hosted five major championships did not faze her as she posted a top-five finish. A slightly easier course No. 2 led to 17 birdies from Halama, good for second-best in the Invitational.
Illinois desperately needed someone to step up after the first three weeks, and Halama looks like she will answer the call. Her previous career best came in 2022, and nearly 2 1/2 years later, she has beaten it.
Halama finished 5-under in each of the first two rounds, setting her up well. A 1-over final round set her score at 207, tying her with three other golfers. They’ll need more ladies to step up to turn the season around, but Halama is leading the charge for now.
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Depth continues to be a problem
Despite Halama’s elite rounds, the rest of the Illini struggled. Through 54 holes, the 2-5 placing Illini in the team portion finished T-34, T-42, T-69 and T-75. Having this many ladies lagging in the back of the pack won’t win Illinois any tournaments soon.
For reference, Ole Miss and Houston placed No. 1 and No. 2 respectively at Medinah. Both programs had their top five women in the top 30 of the field. That’s Illinois’ competition, and even one golfer placing in the 50’s and up isn’t going to get you far. The Illini had multiple.
Yurang Li career best day
Sophomore Yurang Li was an exception. The California native had her best performance as an Illini, despite a rough second round. Li’s first round was pretty impressive, finishing just one behind teammate Halama, at 4-under.
Her second round was shaky, and following birdies in the first, she finished 1-over heading into the final round. Her ability to respond was impressive, especially as one of the younger Illini participating. She golfed 1-under to round out her performance and finished 4-under overall. They’ll need her to continue the momentum from Medinah as they continue the season.
What’s next?
The women began a nice two-and-a-half-week break on Wednesday. Not much has gone right since they hoisted the Big Ten crown, and a couple of weeks off can pose as a good reset both mentally and physically.
When they return to action, they’ll head south for their next five tournaments. The first, hosted by UNC Wilmington, will take place from Oct. 25-27.
@benfader7