Jan. 29, 2010
NORMAL, Ill. - -
Five seniors from the Illinois State women's golf team will begin their final season competing at the Illinois Challenge Saturday, January 30, at the Sarasota National Golf Club in Venice, Fla. The five seniors include: Laura Harris, Britt Knutson, Christine Larson, Stacey Miller and Marisa Milligan. The one-day event pits Illinois State and Illinois against one another in a morning session of four-ball matches and an afternoon session of individual matches.
The morning four-ball matches will consist of players being paired up with members of their team (four teams total) and competing two-on-two against pairs of the opposing team. Half-way through the rounds, head coach Darby Sligh will choose five players, based on performance, to compete in the individual matches in the afternoon.
"Each year, this trip gives us such a unique start to our spring season," Sligh said. "It provides a competitive forum to prepare on grass in warm weather against a great in-state rival. This is just the trip we need to come together as a team and prepare for the championship segment of our season."
The first-ever Illinois Challenge took place last spring, Jan. 26 2009, at the Hideout Golf Club in Naples, Fla. The Redbirds fell to the Illini 7-6.
Having concluded the fall season with an individual title at the Hawkeye Invitational Oct. 17-18, Miller hopes to capture another win this Saturday. Miller carded a three-round 224 (77-73-74) at the Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City, Iowa, leading the Redbirds to a sixth-place finish of the 13-team field. The `Birds fired a team score of 938 (313-314-311).
"I'm once again looking for our seniors to step up and take charge," Sligh said. "It should be a great matchup against Illinois with tremendous talent and experience across the board."
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