Illinois women’s golf will host the Illini Women’s Invitational at Medinah Country Club on Oct. 7-8.
This tournament at the iconic Medinah Country Club will challenge a competitive 15-team field, including Alabama, Auburn and UCLA. The event will be played on Course No. 2, a par-72 course that stretches 6,166 yards.
Last week, Illinois finished 14th in the Windy City Collegiate Classic and will aim for a stronger showing in front of its home crowd. Head coach Renee Slone will lead the Illini into the two-day, 54-hole event. The tournament begins Monday with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun, followed by 36 continuous holes of play. Tuesday’s round will begin at 9 a.m.
This is just the sixth time Illinois has hosted this tournament. Last year, Illinois finished 11th and shot a team score of 14-over (878). The team’s highest finish at this event came in 2018 and 2019 when they placed third.
The Illini lineup includes freshmen Yurang Li, Erica Lee and Kylie Eaton, sophomore Anna Ritter and juniors Victoria Zheng and Brielle Mapanao. Junior Lexanne Halama and sophomore Sophia Sulkar will compete as individuals. Halama’s experience, paired with the rising talent of Eaton and Sulkar, will provide depth to Illinois’ squad.
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Medinah Country Club, located in Medinah, Illinois, is known for hosting major championships like the Ryder Cup and the U.S. Open. The challenging layout of Course No. 2 will test the field with fast greens and challenging bunkers.
The 15-team field features tough competition, with several top-ranked programs competing. Aside from Illinois, teams like Ole Miss, Texas Tech and Pepperdine bring strong lineups to the invitational.
As Illinois looks to build momentum, the Illini Women’s Invitational at Medinah provides the perfect opportunity to do so. The team has the advantage of being on familiar turf and should look to make the most of it.
After this tournament, Illinois will close out its fall season at the Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Oct. 25-27.
The action begins Monday at 8:30 a.m., and the Illini will hope to capitalize on their in-state advantage as they battle some of the best teams in the country.
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