COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Illinois State women's golf team climbed two spots to third overall at the 2024 Johnie Imes Invitational, hosted by the University of Missouri.
The Redbirds climbed two spots into the final standings carding a 599, the third-lowest 36-hole tournament score in program history.
Florida Gulf Coast ran away with the team title with a one-under score of 575. Tournament host Missouri (590) edged out the Redbirds by just ninestrokes, as ISU carded a 36-hole score of 599. Bradley (599), Missouri State (602), Austin Peay (605), Morehead State (606), Howard (608), Eastern Kentucky (609), Omaha (613), Barry (619), Drake (620), and Murray State (624) round out the 13 schools in the tournament field.
After a weekend break, the team will return to action on Monday, October 7 on the first of two days at the Loyola Parkinson Family Invitational, hosted at the Merit Club in Libertyville, Illinois.
Yun was the top finisher for the Redbirds and her final round 73 gave her a three-over 148 for the 36 holes, the seventh-best 36-hole score in school history. Her final round started with a par, birdie, and bogey, as she stayed at even par for the next six holes before her second birdie of the round came on the par-three 13th hole. Being a stroke under par, she followed with seven more pars, before closing with a double bogey and par to end tied for 10th in the field.
Morgan Jones used a two-over 74 to finish five strokes over par with a 149 and tied for 18th. Jones had a birdie on the par-four 14th hole and added 13 pars against four bogeys in her round, which is the sixth-best 36-hole score by a junior in program history, and the 16th-best regardless of class.
Freshman Elise Fennell carded a second-round 77, five shots over par, and ended the tournament with an eight-over 152 – tied for the sixth-best freshman 36-hole score in school history. Fennell had 13 pars and five bogeys in her final round of the tournament and finished tied for 29th individually in the tournament.
Jessica Jolly – also a freshman – carded a two-over 74 in her final round, giving her a two-day 153 to tie for 33rd place in the field. Her total – which is the 12th-lowest 36-hole score in program history by a freshman – was aided by a team-high three birdies on the round, as she also had a dozen pars over her turn around the course.
The third and final freshman in the group – Alex Sparrow – finished a shot behind Jolly to tie for 39th with the 13th-best 36-hole score in program history by a freshman. Sparrow had two birdies on her round – on the par-five ninth hole and the par four 17th hole – and had 10 pars on the round.
Playing as an individual, Lory Paradis carded an 81 on her final round, and ended with a 36-hole score of 157, tied for 49th in the tournament field.
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