The Illini look for a fifth consecutive top-10 finish as the regular season wraps up at the Therese Hession Buckeye Invitational on Saturday and Sunday. The tournament, formerly known as the Lady Buckeye Invitational, will be played in Columbus, Ohio. The tournament begins at 7:30 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.
The field consists of 12 teams: Iowa, Indiana, Kent State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rutgers and Wisconsin. Purdue and Michigan State pose the biggest threat due to the Boilermakers posting two wins and five top-five finishes, while the Spartans also have five top-five finishes but only one win.
Illinois wants to continue its success at the Buckeye Invitational. Over the last 10 years, they have had one win and five top-five finishes. Last year was their worst finish over that period when they finished ninth. Kent State and Ohio State have also found success in recent tournament history, as both teams have three wins each over that same period.
Illinois has been hot as of late, finishing eighth, ninth and tying for fourth in the past month before finishing 10th two weeks ago in the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic. Individual players have been finding success as well, as freshman Erica Lee, freshman Yurang Li and senior Isabel Sy have multiple top-40 finishes in recent weeks.
Sy has had the best seasons of her career, with six top-five finishes this season as well as earning co-champion honors twice. She has also won the Big Ten Women’s Golfer of the Week award three times. Sy recorded a career-low 54-hole score at the Chevron Collegiate in February, shooting a 12-under 204.
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However, Sy is coming off her worst performance of the season, shooting a season-worst 10-over 226 at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic. The Illini will need Sy to get back on track with the Big Ten championship right around the corner. Sy placed fourth in the 2023 Big Ten championship, helping lead Illinois to its first Big Ten crown.
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