MEDINAH, Ill. — Sophomore Morgan Smith‘s runner-up individual performance led the Georgia women’s golf team in an eighth-place finish at the Illini Invitational at historic Medinah Country Club on Tuesday.
Fast Facts
• Georgia wrapped up the tournament at 5-under as a team, posting a 1-under tally in the final round. On Tuesday, the Bulldogs counted a 6-under 66 from Smith, an even-par 72 from Chantal El Chaib, a 74 from Kate Song and a 75 from Grace Frei.
• Smith’s 6-under effort on Tuesday and her 10-under tally for the tournament both were career-best scores. Her previous lows were 5-under 67 and 7-under 209 en route to a runner-up individual finish at the UNCG Collegiate last season while playing at Georgetown.
• Smith’s 10-under effort matched the fifth-best individual tournament score in program history.
• Smith’s began Monday’s shotgun start at No. 7 with a birdie. She played the back 9 at 3-under before notching a pair of birdies after returning to the front side.
• Overall, El Chaib tied for 29th at 2-under 214, Celine Brovold Sanne tied for 52nd at 220, Song tied for 59th at 221, Frei tied for 78th at 229 and Zixin “Candice” Lou, who competed as an individual, tied for 82nd at 230.
Key Quote:
“This tournament was a building block in the process, and it’s awesome to see how the team is responding and stepping up,” head coach Erika Brennan said. “Huge congrats to Morgan, who was all gas from start to finish! A runner-up finish in this field is huge, and it’s a testament to her work ethic and mental strength. This team can achieve at a high level, and we’re working to keep those dots connected over three rounds. Coach DS and I are pumped that we have a bit of time in town to prepare before our final tournament of the fall.”
Up Next:
The Bulldogs will wrap up the 2024 calendar portion of their season in a week in a half when Georgia competes in the White Sands Invitational at Ocean Club Golf Course at Paradise Island in the Bahamas. The 54-hole event will be hosted by Texas A&M on Oct. 18-20.