April 19, 2007

CHAMPAIGN, Ill.- The Fighting Illini women's golf team heads to Columbus, Ohio, this weekend to compete in the 2007 Lady Buckeye Invitational hosted by the Ohio State University. Held at the par-72 Ohio State University Golf Club Scarlet Course, the tournament features a 13-field team, including Big Ten rivals Indiana, Iowa, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue, and Wisconsin.

The Orange and Blue head into the event after a tremendous third-place team showing at the Indiana Invitational and junior Seul Ki Park earning Big Ten Golfer of the Week accolades on April 11. Park took home her first career medalist title by firing back-to-back even-par rounds of 72 at the Indiana Invitational on April 9-10. The junior's 36-hole total of 144 outpaced the rest of the field by three shots and tied Illinois' 36-hole tournament scoring record. She becomes the first Illini in over two years to take home individual medalist honors at a tournament after finishing in second four times previously in her career. Park helped the Illini to a third-place finish in the 17-team field that featured seven other Big Ten squads.

Park is the first Illinois Golfer of the Week since teammate and fellow junior Kristine Cook earned the honor on April 14, 2005.

Representing Illinois this weekend will be juniors Casey Burden, Kristine Cook, Kristen Kallergis, Stephanie Mory, and Seul Ki Park, and senior captain Meghan Naik, who is making her return to the line-up after battling an injury earlier this season. At the Indiana Invitational, Mory (75-79=154) and Kristine Cook (76-80=156) followed Park tying for 22nd and 34th, respectively. Burden fired a spring-low 74 (83-74=157) to end action tied for 43rd. Kallergis (81-83=164) finished tied for 73rd.

Complete results this weekend can be found at fightingillini.com at the conclusion of each round, and live scoring will be available at golfstat.com. Tournament play for the 36-hole event is slated to begin on Saturday, April 21, and will end on Sunday, April 22.