Final Results (PDF)
OAHU, Hawaii – Illinois Women's Golf wrapped up play at the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational from Oahu, Hawaii, on Wednesday, March 23, with a fifth place team finish. UI posted rounds of 301-292-299 across the two-day event from the Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course.
"Everyone contributed to the success at the event," stated Illinois head coach Renee Slone. "It was good to have different people step up at different times. It was great to see us put together three strong rounds at the tournament."
Freshman Bing Singhsumalee led the Fighting Illini unit with a T-13th place finish. Singhsumalee fired rounds of 76-68-76 for a combined reading of 220 from Hawaii. At the midway point of the final round, the freshman owned a +3 reading in the frame but went on to fire back-to-back birdies on holes 15 and 16 to work her way closer to par. Singhsumalee bogeyed the 18th hole to enter her final four holes at two-over par. She closed the tournament with a team-leading eight birdies.
"Bing had a very good second round," shared Slone. "It was great to see her take what she learned in the first round and put into action in round two."
Grace Park also turned in a top-25 finish for the Orange and Blue, coming in at T-21st. The Illini sophomore posted rounds of 76-73-74, respectively, to finish with a combined 223. Park led the tournament field with 42 holes at par, in addition to three birdies.
With a T-28th finish, Stephanie Miller narrowly missed a top-25 finish. Miller carded rounds of 75-74-76 during the tournament for a final 225 reading. The Illini junior carded three birdies and also ranked second for the most holes at par across the individual field with 40.
Chayanid Prapassarangkul posted a third-round reading of 73 to jump 16 spots on the individual board for a T-36th finish. Prapassarangkul's 73 was the best third-round showing by a member of the Orange and Blue. The Illinois sophomore carded rounds of 78-77-73, respectively, for a total reading of 228.
Dana Gattone finished with rounds of 74-78-85 for a T-64th place reading. Gattone registered five birdies at the event, including three in the opening round to lead the team with a score of 74.
Oklahoma State and Texas A&M each finished the event with readings of 860 (-4), but Oklahoma State clinched the title based on the tie-breaker. Pepperdine finished third (864) with Texas taking fourth at 874. Illinois rounded out the top five with a combined score of 892. Fresno State (897), Hawaii (903), Gonzaga (906), Nebraska (914) and Idaho (914) wrapped up the top-10 teams. UMKC (915), Portland State (935), UTEP (942), Osaka Gakuin (953), Lipscomb (955) and Hawaii-Hilo (1001) rounded out the 16-team field.
The Orange and Blue will be in action on the other side of the country in less than a week when the Illini head back to Georgia for the Henssler Financial Intercollegiate. Play from Kennesaw, Georgia, is slated to begin Monday, March 28.
"We can continue to build on our successes," Slone shared of her message to the team following the top-five showing. "Our putting was much improved after Augusta. Making more birdies after this many pars; we can take it to that next level."
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