Typically, Illinois—steady play Thea Luning (Senior, Mason City) The Central College Women’s Golf Team placed 3rd in the 15-Team Illinois Wesleyan Fall Classic Sunday and finished 7th.
Finishing 308-311-619 at the par-72 Ironwood Golf Course, the Dutchman had a running shot of 77-75-152. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater scored his 305-296-601 to win the tournament by 15 teams, and the organizers of Illinois were his second-place finisher, with Wesleyan College scoring 309-299-608 ahead of Central. Denison University (Ohio) was 320 to 301 to 621 and he was fourth. Central was the only Iowa school in the field.
Central again had more pars than any team in the field, and Lunning epitomized that consistency.
‘Thea is really stable,’ says coach Tabitha Schumacher Said. “I think she had nothing but birdies, pars and bogeys, which is great.”
Central 1st round leader, Delaney Underwood (Senior, Mitchellville, Colfax Mingo HS) 75-82—157, falling from a tie for second place to a share of 14th among 98 players.she was tied up Lydia Grond (Sophomore, Hull, Boyden Hull HS)shot 79-78-157 in her first collegiate appearance, and Mackenzie Biggs (Junior, Bloomington, Illinois, High School)who shot 81-76—157. Madison Clark (Advanced, Bloomington, IL, Central Catholic HS) 77-84—161 tied for 34th.
That’s a 35-shot improvement from last year’s effort at the same course, where Central finished 12th out of 20 teams with a 325-329—654.
“Delaney[Underwood]hit the ball well,” Schumacher said. “She just wasn’t scoring. But it helped a lot that Mackenzie (Biggs) played well. Putting it all together, we need to play well on the same day and we still have that. We haven’t, but we’re getting closer. ”
Play as a regular participant, Peyton Bitner (Junior, Bettendorf) shots 83-86—169 and rachel sohn (Junior, Sutherland, South O’Brien HS) It was 90-86—176.
Central’s final fall season road trip before the American Rivers Championship October 8-10 is the Nebraska Wesleyan Fall Invitational at the par-72 Mahoney Golf Course in Lincoln, Nebraska. The Netherlands won the five-team tournament last year 322-324-646.
“I think we are heading in the right direction,” said Schumacher. “We got through last weekend[the Wartburg Fall Invitational]where we didn’t play our best game. We definitely come into the conference with confidence and that’s what we want.”
