JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. – The Illinois women’s golf team opened the Briar’s Creek Invitational in third place after carding a first round total of 283 (-5) and a second round 286 (-2), heading into Tuesday’s final round at The Golf Club at Briar’s Creek.
Crystal Wang is the clubhouse leader after 36 holes of play at 8-under, posting rounds of 67 (-5) and 69 (-3). Wang’s 11 total birdies on the day ranks second and her scoring average of 3.75 on par-4s paces the field.
The Diamond Bar, Calif., native, is aiming for the first tournament win of her career and she would be the first Illini to win an event since Tristyn Nowlin earned a share of the Schooner Fall Classic crown in 2019. Wang also is poised to earn her fourth Top 5 finish of the season and fifth Top 10 finish.
Mattie Frick is tied for 19th at even par after rounds of 69 (-3) and 75 (+3). Frick went bogey-free in her career-low opening round, which was also her first sub-70 round.
Isabel Sy and Siyan Chen are tied for 23rd at 1-over. Sy went 1-over in her first round, tallying five birdies on the back nine, including three-straight on holes 12-14. Chen bounced back from an opening round 74 (+2) with a second round 71 (-1).
Lexanne Halama is tied for 66th at 6-over after rounds of 78 (+6) and 74 (+2) and Anna Ritter, competing as an individual, is tied for 78th after carding rounds of 78 (+6) and 77 (+5).
The Orange and Blue rolled in a total of 36 birdies, the second most through the first two rounds.
UCF leads the tournament at 560 (-16), with SMU (-13) following in second, six strokes ahead of the Illini.
Tuesday’s final round begins with a shotgun start at 7:45 a.m. CT.
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