Team Results // Player Results 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - It didn't take long for the Fighting Illini women's golf team to find success this Fall season, as the team earned its first tournament win on Tuesday at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship in Knoxville, Tennessee. A year after placing second in the tournament, the Orange and Blue posted a three-day team total of 840 (-12) to finish with the lowest 54-hole tournament team score in program history.

"There's just so much positive energy around the team and that continued throughout today," head coach Renee Slone said. "Last year, we put ourselves in a similar situation many times throughout the season and we weren't able to quite finish it off. Today there was just a different look to the team and a different energy. They showed composure, confidence and belief in themselves." 

After Illinois finished the first two rounds tied with No. 14 Kent State atop the leaderboard, the Illini posted a third round score of 280 (-4) to edge the Golden Flashes by one stroke. In third place was host, No. 30 Tennessee with a score of 8-over par. Maryland tied with both UTSA and No. 32 BYU at 10-over par to round out the top five. Kentucky and No. 29 Wake Forest followed behind, tying with a 13-over par. Following Kentucky and Wake Forest were No. 45 SMU (+22) and No. 26 NC State (+27).

In the final round of play at the Cherokee Country Club (Par 71, 5897 yards), junior Bing Singhsumalee climbed eleven spots on the leaderboard to place fourth with a final scorecard reading of 71-71-66 (-5). Her 5-under par in the third round ties the fourth-lowest single round score in program history.

Senior Grace Park finished tied for 7th after recording a 3-under par following rounds of 69-72-69. Freshman Ali Morallos, playing in her first collegiate tournament, finished tied for 22nd, posting a 3-over par with a tournament reading of 73-68-75.

"I think Ali had a great opening tournament as her college debut," said Slone. "She showed a lot of poise and handled herself extremely well. It was a great learning experience from her and it is only going to get better and better."

Senior Dana Gattone paced the Illini in the first two rounds of play, finishing day one with a 4-under par and tied for fourth overall. Gattone turned in identical scores of 69 in the first two rounds, followed by a score of 75 in the final round. Sophomore Tristyn Nowlin finished tied for 27th overall in the tournament with a 4-over par (77-70-70).

Competing as an individual, Chayanid Prapassarangkul tied for seventh in the tournament, posting a three-day score of 2-under par with a reading of 72-69-69.

"This is only the start," said Slone. "To have our 54-hole record right off the bat is tremendous, but this is just the start. There will be plenty more records that are shattered this year, so just going into it with the same attitude and the same energy level is crucial. Instead of just waiting for the postseason, we need to treat every tournament like its the postseason."

NEXT UP

The Illini get a short break before heading to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to compete in the Coeur d'Alene Resort Collegiate on Sept. 26-27.

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