The Illinois women’s golf team started its spring season off with a top-five finish in the Westbrook Spring Invitational in Peoria, Arizona.

The Illini finished in fourth place with a score of 871, good for their fifth-best three-round score.

Tristyn Nowlin led the Illini with her standout performance. The freshman finished the tournament with a total score of 211 (71-71-69), which tied her for third place individually. Nowlin finished 5-under and tied for the third-best individual score in a 54-hole tournament in program history.

Nowlin had her best round on the final day, recording a 69.

She said a change of mindset and a conversation with her coach helped propel her to a strong showing.

“Before the round, I closed my eyes and started breathing,” Nowlin said. “I just started seeing tunnel vision. There wasn’t a single thought in my head, and I just went out and played.”

Kansas State took home the top spot in the tournament, posting a 861. Ohio State and Kansas tied for second place with a score of 865.

“We did some things well, but there’s plenty of room for improvement,” head coach Renee Slone said.

The Illini finished the first day of the tournament in third place but slipped to fourth in the final round.

Slone said that the team needs to focus on seeing the conditions of the course and adjusting as necessary. She added that the team didn’t come out as sharp on the second day as it could have.

“For us, it’s really just a matter of managing ourselves, managing our emotions and staying focused on the process,” Slone said.

The team will head to Fairfax, California, this weekend for the Meadow Club Women’s Intercollegiate tournament.

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