SEDONA, Ariz. – Behind a final round 73 from junior Ali Schrock, the Illinois State Redbirds took fifth at the 2022 Red Rocks Invitational behind a team score of 887, which is the third-lowest team score in program history.
The team's 887 three-round score is behind just the 876 from the 2021 Mid-American Challenge and the 2005's 886 from the Shootout at the Legends event. In her tournament, Schrock's three-round total of 217 is tied for the sixth-lowest tournament total in Redbird women's golf history.
Illinois State's 887 was fifth overall, behind Grand Canyon (865), tournament host Northern Arizona (871), Weber State (877), and Cal Baptist (883). Idaho (890), Wichita State (890), Towson (899), Delaware (904), North Dakota State (905), Southern Utah (910), Dixie State (912), Utah Valley (917), Montana (917), Portland State (928), Stephen F. Austin (928), Northern Colorado (931), Longwood (941), and Montana State (957) rounded out the 19 schools in the field.
Schrock was the top finisher for the Redbirds, taking in a tie for ninth, her second top-10 finish in a tournament this season after her final-round 73. Emma Rouger, playing as an individual in her first tournament as a Redbird this season, tied for 15th in the field of 104 golfers. Kehler Koss tied for 26th with a tournament score of 223, while Avalon Woodward finished a stroke behind in 28th place. Kira Wolf's 228 saw her finish in a tie of 37th, while Vinisha Gunaseelan shot a three-round 232 for a tie of 56th.
Schrock opened her day by closing out her second round, one that saw her record three birdies and 11 pars, finishing with a one-over 73 on the round. Her second round had a rough start and finish, but in between she had a run of 14 holes where she had five birdies and nine pars, ending the final round with a one-over 73.
Rouger's second round saw 15 pars and two bogeys, but she finished at even par after she eagled the par-four 10th hole. Her third round started strong, with three birdies within her first four holes of the final round; however, she finished the remaining 14 holes with 10 pars and four bogeys, closing the round with a one-over 73 for the final 18 holes.
Koss had a balanced second round, as she shot a three-over 75, using two birdies and a dozen pars, before ending the tournament with a five-over 77, as she had 13 pars and five bogeys.
Woodward, after her opening-round 70, came back in round two with a four-over 76, including a five-hole stretch in which she had four birdies and a par. Her final round had a birdie and 11 pars, carding a six-over 78.
Wolf closed her second round with a two-over 74, a round that had three birdies and 10 pars, before coming back later that afternoon with three birdies and seven pars en route to her seven-over 79.
Gunaseelan had the team's best second-round score, as she shot a one-under 71 with four birdies, three bogeys and 11 pars. She came back over the final 18 holes with 10 pars en route to her nine-over 81.
ISU returns back to competition in the Midwest on Monday, March 28 and Tuesday March 29 at the Diane Daugherty Invitational, hosted by Southern Illinois University at Bogey Hills Country Club in Saint Charles, Missouri.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
