LAKEWOOD RANCH, Fla. – The Illinois State women's golf squad re-wrote the record book in the final round of the 2022 Falcon Florida Classic, setting school records for team single-round scores, team tournament scores, individual tournament score, and tied the record for single-round individual score.
Illinois State set the single-round record with a final-round 284, topping the previous record of 286 on the same course two years earlier. The team's three-round 870 is six strokes better than the previous ISU low mark, which was set at the Mid-American Challenge, hosted at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club in 2021.
Avalon Woodward set a new ISU tournament record with a three-round 211 – three strokes better than the school record of 214 set by Samantha Richdale in September of 2005, while her final-round 68 puts her in a three-way tie for the lowest single-round in school history alongside Rachel Powers from September of 2012 and Ali Schrock at the Johnie Imes Invitational earlier this season.
The Redbirds placed fourth overall in the strong field as Northern Illinois ran away with the team title with a team score of 850. Idaho (860) and Toledo (867) finished just ahead of the 'Birds, while Western Michigan (883), Central Michigan (889), Bowling Green (897), Ball State (898), Western Illinois (904), Eastern Michigan (906), Akron (912), and Ohio (914) rounded out the dozen schools in the field.
Woodward placed third overall for her third top-10 finish of the season, and closed her tournament with a bogey-free round, as she was one stoke over par as she made the turn after a birdie on the par-five second hole, and another birdie on the par-five 12th hole pushed her to two strokes under par. She closed with a flurry, with birdies on the 17th and 18th holes to finish four strokes under par for the round.
Dani Grace Schrock set an ISU freshman record with a single-round score of 69, passing the previous freshman record of 70 set by Avalon Woodward at the 2021 Mid-American Challenge, using 11 pars and a team-high five birdies to finish three strokes under par for the round, and ended the tournament with a three-round 219 to place 16th with the second-lowest tournament score by a freshman in program history – trailing only the 218 carded by Illinois State Hall of Famer Richdale.
Ali Schrock, the reigning MVC Player of the Year, finished in a tie of 8th in the tournament field after a final-round 73. Schrock started strong with a birdie on her second hole of the day; however, three bogeys over her next seven holes put her at two strokes over par at the turn. She was steady as she finished her round with eight pars and a birdie over her final nine holes, with the birdie coming on the par-four 11th hole. Her tournament score of 215 is now tied for the third-lowest in program history.
Kira Wolf improved her score in each round of the two-day tournament, ending play with a two-over 74, including birdies on the par-five second hole and ending her round with a birdie on the par-five3 18th hole to turn in a two-over 74 for the round.
Redbird newcomer Michaela Kverkova was steady throughout the three rounds, carding scores of 77, 77, and 79 over the two days, as she had a birdie and 11 pars on her final round.
ISU returns to action at the Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational, hosted in Rio Verde, Arizona on February 24-26 at the Rio Verde Country Club.
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