Hello Illini Nation,

Coming back from our first tournament of the spring season, we were ready and excited to head to the Westbrook Invitational in Peoria, Arizona hosted by University of Wisconsin for another great opportunity to compete. 

After arriving the evening before the practice round, our host families kindly welcomed us into their homes with generous hospitality. Unfortunately, with the heavy rainfall received overnight and throughout the day, the practice round was cancelled due to unplayable conditions.  The practice facilities remained open so we utilized those resources as well as walked the course in the afternoon to gather information from a different perspective. Following our practice, the Sirmons' hosted the team and other host families at their home for a potluck dinner. This dinner was a great opportunity for the host families to meet and chat with the team since the families were hosting us for the first time. There were also many Illini supporters that came out to cheer us on for the tournament. We really appreciate those who came out and supported us on the course!

The next two days of the tournament were very fun, and we were lucky enough to get sunshine for both days of play. We posted an under par score for the last round, 282 (-6), finishing the tournament in 9^th place with 861 (-3). 

After spending four days back home in Champaign, we headed south for the Hurricane Invitational in Miami, Florida, hosted by the University of Miami. We were excited for the opportunity to play in this tournament again, as the last time we participated in this event was 2015. 

The Biltmore Golf Course is a very fun course to play, especially with the different species of animals we were able to see. During the rounds at the Biltmore, we encountered many iguanas that inhabit the ponds on the golf course. The team was fascinated since many of us have never seen a real iguana before. The course presented a strongchallenge with the 20-mph wind on both days along with the Donald Ross green complexes, but that only provided us with more experience and preparation for future events. We finished the Hurricane Invitational tied for fifth with a score of 894 (+30). 

We are so blessed and fortunate to be able to travel to Arizona and Florida to experience such fantastic tournaments! Until next time, Illini Nation!

Go Illini