CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – All current 2025-26 Illini women's golf student-athletes competed across the world over the summer. The Fighting Illini collected seven titles and turned in nine top-10 finishes.
Anna Ritter, one of four 2025-26 seniors, started the month of July strong for the Illini. After four days of golf, including three competitive days of match play, Ritter won the 102nd WOSGA Women's Ohio State Amateur Championship – closing out the championship match on the 13th hole. Ritter's title earned her an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Oregon earlier this August where she finished t-80/155 [73,74].
After defeating her sister in the semi-finals, Kylie Eaton won her state amateur in July; becoming a two-time Rhode Island Women's State Amateur Champion – her previous win was in 2022. Newcomer Sofia Vargas won two events this summer, the 2025 Long Beach Women's Amateur Championship and the 2025 SCGA Women's Match Play Championship. Vargas' final SCGA match lasted 20 holes and drew large crowds rooting for the 'hometown hero' during the back-and-forth match.
Incoming freshman Alexis Myers closed our her junior career in fashion claiming the MAJGT at Oak Meadows individual title by seven shots [69,72], the IJGA 45th Chick Evans Junior Amateur Championship after five rounds of match play, and winning the Junior PGA Championship Qualifier at 10-under [67,67] which advanced her to the 2025 Junior PGA Championship in West Lafayette, Ind., in early August.
DIRECT LINKS
Senior Anna Ritter : Ohio Women's State Amateur Champion (Tournament LINK | Final Press LINK)
Sophomore Kylie Eaton : Rhode Island Women's Amateur Champion (Tournament LINK | Final Press LINK)
Sophomore Transfer Sofia Vargas : Long Beach Women's Amateur (Tournament LINK) . Southern California Match Play Championship (Tournament LINK | Final Press LINK)
Incoming Freshman Alexis Myers : MAJGT at Oak Meadows (Tournament LINK). IJGA Chick Evans Junior Amateur (Tournament LINK). Illinois Junior PGA (Tournament LINK).
UP NEXT
The Fighting Illini women's golf team will kick-off the 2025-26 season with the Illinois Women's Golf Classic, hosted from August 28-29 at the Atkins Golf Club. Thursday night features an Illini Hour and live auction with the golf scramble to follow on Friday morning. Bidding is currently open for the silent auction HERE.
Collegiate competition for the Orange and Blue opens Sept. 7-8 at the Michigan-hosted Wolverine Invitational.
SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS
Freshman Alexis Myers -
CHAMPION: MAJGT at Oak Meadows
+ June 9-10 // The Preserve at Oak Meadows // Addison, Illinois
+ R1: 69 (-3), R2: 72 (E), Total: 141 (-3)
CHAMPION: Illinois Junior PGA
+ July 7-8 // Flossmoor Golf Club // Flossmoor, Illinois
+ R1: 67 (-5), R2: 67 (-5), Total: 134 (-10)
CHAMPION: Chick Evans Junior Amateur
+ July 14-18 // Itasca Country Club // Itasca, Illinois
+ R1: 67 (-5), R2: 70 (-2), Total: 137 (-7), R16: 3&2, QF: 5&4, SF: 23 holes, F: 3&2
2nd: Illinois State Amateur
19th: 2025 Girls Junior PGA Championship
Sophomore Transfer Tavia Burgess –
T-5th: Sacramento Valley Women's Amateur
Sophomore Kylie Eaton –
CHAMPION: Rhode Island Women's Amateur
+ July 14-18 // Alpine CC // Lincoln, Rhode Island
+ R1: 70 (-3), R16: 7&5, QF: 3&1, SF: 3&2, F: 2&1
7th : New England Women's Amateur
14th: Women's Eastern Amateur
Sophomore Transfer Sofia Vargas –
CHAMPION: Long Beach Women's Amateur
+ June 17-18 // Sky Links Golf Course // Long Beach, California
+ R1: 70 (-3), R2: 76 (+3), Total: 146 (E)
CHAMPION: Southern California Women's Match Play Championship
+ August 11-13 // Victoria Club // Riverside, California
+ R1: 3&2, R2: 1 up, R3: 3&2, R4: 20 holes
20th: SCGA Women's Amateur
Junior Erica Lee -
16th: SCGA Women's Amateur
Senior Brielle Mapanao
Trained back home in Australia.
Senior Anna Ritter
CHAMPION: Women's Ohio State Amateur
+ June 30 - July 3 // Weymouth Country Club // Medina, Ohio
+ R1: 73 (+1), R16: 5&4, QF: 6&5, SF: 2 up, F: 3&2
+ Earned exemption for the 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship
Senior Sophia Sulkar
Competed during the summer in various events.
Senior Victoria Zheng
Round of 16: North & South Women's Amateur
+ June 22 - 28 // No. 2 & No. 7 // Pinehurst Resort, NC
+ R1: 72 (No.7), R2: 74 (No.2), R32: 6&5 W, R16: 2&1 L
