University of Illinois
Eagle Landing Invitational
Koschmann Wins JMU Eagle Landing Invitational
March 9, 2010 | Women's Golf
March 9, 2010
ORANGE PARK, Fla. - The Illinois women's golf team has their first individual tournament winner since Seul Ki Park won two tournaments in 2007, with sophomore Hailey Koschmann taking medalist honors at the JMU Eagle Landing Invitational on Tuesday. Illinois had a 40-over par 54-hole total of 904 to finish as runner-up to tournament winner South Florida. In the third round on Tuesday, Illinois shot a 14-over par 302 on the 6,282 yard, par 72 Eagle Landing golf course. Only six strokes separated Illinois and South Florida, and two strokes separating Illinois and third place Central Arkansas. Rounding out the top five were Kennesaw State and East Carolina.
"I felt today was a solid round," head coach Renee Slone said. "The course did play tougher today then it has the previous two rounds. They really hung in there and bounced back and made a lot of birdies, most birdies today as any of the three rounds. They went out, played hard, stayed focused and we had a good day. South Florida just had a really good day. The great thing about this tournament was that we improved our position every round. We were moving in the right direction."
Koschmann shot a three-over par 75 in the final round to win the individual title with a two-under par 54-hole total of 214, which is her career best 54-hole tournament total. It is also the third lowest 54-hole tournament total in program history. Koschmann finished three shots over defending individual champion Emma de Groot of Chattanooga.
"It feels great," Koschmann said of winning her first collegiate tournament. "It's always been a goal of mine, but it was kind of something that I never really thought was in close reach. I thought that if I played really well that I could do it, but I wasn't expecting to do it now."
"It was just a rock solid tournament for her," Slone said of Koschmann. "It's very exciting. We, just in the last week, each team member talked about what our goals were, what their ultimate goals were, and one of Hailey's was winning a tournament. So she accomplished that within a week of saying that. Now we move it to the next level."
"I played really well," Koschmann said when describing her play in the tournament. "This was the first time that I posted three solid rounds and that was also one of my goals to play three good rounds at the next tournament, because I never really put together a whole tournament. It finally came together at the right time."
Sophomore Samantha Sloan had a five-over par 77 on day three of the invitational, finishing with a three round 14-over par total of 230, closing the tournament in a tie for 24th. Sophomore Katelin Dilger concluded the third round with a three-over par 74, for a 54-hole total of 231 and 15-over par, and finished in a tie for 32nd.
Freshman Crystal Smith shot a final round four-over par 76, to end the tournament at 19-over par and a three-round total of 235, which matches her career best 54-hole tournament total. Sophomore Nora Lucas had a third round four-over par 76 and finished the tournament with a 54-hole total of 236, twenty-over par.
"Starting the spring season off with a second place finish is pretty solid. We're really looking forward to building on this in Pinehurst. Obviously, this is something they can draw upon in the future."
The Orange and Blue will be back in action in two weeks at the Pinehurst Challenge in Pinehurst, N.C. on March 22-23.
