HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE, Ark. - Behind a two-over-par 74 from Maria Toledo Bailey, the Illinois State Redbirds opened play at the 2021 Little Rock Golf Classic and stand in 10th place in the 11-team field.
The Redbirds return to the course tomorrow in the three rounds over three days event looking to climb the leaderboards.
ISU's opening-round 306 puts them 21 strokes off the tournament-leading 285 from ULM. Central Arkansas (287), host Little Rock (295), UT Arlington (296), Georgia State (298), Missouri State (299), Wichita State (302),Houston Baptist (303), and Bradley (305) round out the schools ahead of ISU, as the Redbirds stand ahead of Stephen F. Austin (312).
Junior Maria Toledo Bailey was the opening-round leader for the Redbirds, as she carded a two-over 74, placing in a tie for 15th, while Vinisha Gunaseelan finished one shot behind with a +3 75, tied for 25th. Graduate transfer Kehler Koss is tied for 42nd after closing her opening round with a five-over 77, and Kira Wolf stands tied for 46th with a seven-over 79 while Ali Schrock rounded out the Redbird golfers in the tournament with an 85, placing 64th.
Utilizing tee times in the event, all five Redbird golfers opened play on the first hole, as Toledo Bailey started with a pair and then a birdie to start the round. She closed the front nine with four bogeys and three pars, to make the turn at three over par, while a bogey on the 10th hole put her at four over par. She closed strong, using three birdies against just one more bogey, ending the back nine at a stroke under par, and closing the day with a two-over 74.
Gunaseelan started quickly, with a birdie and three pars over her first four holes before her first above-par score pushed her to even. She closed her front nine with four consecutive pars to make the turn with an even-par 36. After the turn she had a bogey and three pars to start; however, a birde on the par-four 14th hole put her back at even par. She stumbled down the stretch with two pars and a bogey and double bogey, closing the round with the three-over 75.
In her front nine, Koss had a birdie and six pars, heading into her back nine at three shots over par, and opened her back nine with seven consecutive pars; however, a three-over final two holes sent her into the clubhouse with a six-over-par 78.
Wolf finished a stroke behind Koss and had a dozen pars against seven bogeys for the 79. Schrock had a birdie and seven pars, as she closed the round with an 85.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
