COLUMBIA, Mo. – Behind an opening-round 299 – the program's fifth-best single-round score in the 11th appearance at the event – the Illinois State women's golf team stands in fourth place after 18 holes at the 2022 Johnie Imes Invitational, hosted by the University of Missouri.
Host Missouri leads the field after the first of three days with a two-over 290, while Lipscomb stands second with a 292 and FIU third with a 297. Behind ISU are 10 other schools including Cal Baptist (301), Eastern Kentucky (303), Northern Illinois (303), Oral Roberts (303), Arkansas State (306), Wichita State (308), Bradley (311), Drake (311), South Dakota (312), and Missouri State (313).
Ali Schrock – the reigning MVC Golfer of the Year – leads the Redbirds with an even-par 72, including going two under par on the par-five tied for the best score on the longest holes on the course. Starting on the first hole, she opened with a bogey on the first hole. She came back with four straight pars and a birdie to drop back to even par; however, finished the front nine with a bogey and two straight pars to head to the back half of the course one shot over par. She opened her back nine with a birdie to drop back to even, and ended her day with six pars, a birdie, and a bogey to take the even-par score into the clubhouse, as she is tied for fifth individually in the field.
Two Redbirds – Avalon Woodward and Kira Wolf – each finished with a three-over 75 in the opening round and tied for 18th. Woodward had six pars and a trio of bogeys over the front nine, making the turn at three over par. A bogey on her second hole pushed her to four shots over par; however, four pars and two bogeys over the next six holes to cut her aggregate score to two over par, before closing the day with a bogey to finish with the 75.
Wolf opened her day with seven consecutive pars and had 11 total on the day. She hit a tough stretch of holes with five bogeys during a four-hole span; however, she righted the ship in a big way, closing the day strong with two pars and three bogeys to finish with the three-over 75.
Two more ISU golfers – Vinisha Gunaseelan and Dani Grace Schrock – shot matching 77's to tie for 33rd in the field of 84 golfers. After opening her day with a par, she recorded back-to-back bogeys to push to two strokes over par. She didn't let the slow start get to her, as she followed with 10 consecutive pars to stay at two over par through 13 holes. She had an up-and-down final five holes, with a birdie, a par, two bogeys and a double-bogey to take a five-over 77 into the clubhouse to close the opening day.
Dani Grace Schrock started her day with two bogeys and two pars; however, went back to even par with an eagle on the par-four fifth hole to get back to even par. A bogey and three pars over the final four holes sent her into the turn one shot over par. She opened the back nine with three consecutive bogeys; however, closed her day on the final six holes with four pars, a birdie, and a double-bogey.
ISU tees off in the first grouping of the day on Tuesday with Dani Grace Schrock leading off the 'Birds alongside Cal Baptist and Eastern Kentucky.
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