NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State Women's golf team is competing at the Mid-American Match Play Challenge Feb. 4-5 in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. The tournament consists of a bracket-style competition featuring teams head-to-head across four rounds.
Competing players are Caitlin Sims, Paige Seiser, Morgan Savage, Emma Sutton and Becca Black.
Event: Mid-American Match Play Challenge (hosted by Bowling Green)
When: Monday, Feb. 4 – Tuesday Feb. 5, 2019
Where: Lakewood Ranch Country Club (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.)
Par: 72
Yardage: 6068
Format: Each team of five players will compete against a new set of five players over four different matches in a bracket format. Round one matches tee off at 7:50 a.m. with round two beginning around 12 p.m. Round three will begin Tuesday at 7:50 a.m. with round four beginning around 1 p.m.
Competing Teams: Akron, Bowling Green State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Florida Gulf Coast, Morehead State, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Purdue Fort Wayne, Western Illinois, and Western Michigan.
History at the Event: This is the Redbirds' first appearance at the Mid-American Match Play Challenge.
About the Course: The Mid-American Match Play Challenge is taking place at Lakewood Ranch Country Club in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. The club boasts three premium golf courses, two of which were designed by Arnold Palmer. The Match Play Challenge is being played on Royal Lakes course, designed by golf course architect Rick Robbins. The course provides various levels of challenge because of strategic bunker and water placement and the length of the course.
Last Time Out: The Redbirds ended the fall season at the Charles Braun Jr. Intercollegiate Challenge in Evansville, Indiana. The team finished in fourth after two rounds with a score of 643. Senior Caitlin Sims lead the way for the Redbirds by tying for second place after a two round score of 152 (80-72).
The team competed at the Missouri Valley Conference Preview in Chesterton, Indiana on October 15-16. This tournament allowed the golfers to compete at the site of the MVC Championships alongside conference teams.
The team finished third after a three round score of 985 (325-322-338). Junior Paige Seiser placed in a tie for fourth with a score of 236 (78-78-80) at the par-72 tournament. Illinois State is returning to the course in April for the championships.
Next Time Out: The Redbirds are teeing off for the first round match at 7:50 a.m. tomorrow, Monday Feb. 4 at the Mid-American Match Play Challenge in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
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