Women’s Golf Ready for Jim West Challenge

Sunday, October 20

Kissing Tree Golf Club – San Marcos, Texas

All Day

University of Houston

Jim West Challenge

10/17/2024 6:44:00 PM | Women's Golf

Watch Sunday (ESPN+) (10 a.m.)Watch Monday (ESPN+) (8:30 a.m.)Live Scoring (Scoreboard by Clippd)Tee Times Kissing Tree Golf Club Season Statistics (PDF)

Two-day, 54-hole event tees off at Kissing Tree Golf Club on Sunday morning

Annika Ishiyama, Jim West Challenge preview

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The University of Houston Women's Golf program wraps up its fall season when it tees off at the Jim West Challenge at Kissing Tree Golf Club, starting Sunday morning.

Schools will play 36 holes Monday on the 6,123-yard, par-72 Course No. 2 with the Final Round set for Tuesday. Play begins with 8:30 a.m., shotgun starts each day.

The Cougars stood at #26 in the inaugural National College Rankings by Clippd released earlier this week.

In its most recent action, Houston finished second at the Illini Invitational at Medinah at Medinah Country Club with a score of 27-under par 837 to finish just three strokes behind Mississippi on Oct. 7-8.

TUNE IN
Fans can watch action from both days on ESPN+ with Brant Freeman and Victoria Heim calling the action.

Sunday's broadcast begins at 10 a.m., and will continue around 2 p.m., with an intermission for lunch. Fans can watch Monday's Final Round beginning at 8:30 a.m.

LIVE SCORING
Fans can follow live scoring at the Jim West Challenge on Scoreboard by Clippd by clicking here.

MEET the COUGARS
The Cougars will be represented by junior Alexa Saldana, freshman Annika Ishiyama, sophomore Maelynn Kim, junior Moa Svedenskiold and junior Natalie Saint Germain. Senior Brooke Morales will compete as an individual.

Ishiyama leads the Cougars with a 71.25 scoring average and six rounds of par or lower in eight total rounds. The Costa Mesa, Calif., native has posted sub-par scores in each of her last five rounds and tied for 10^th at the Illini Invitational at Medinah with a score of 7-under 209.

Saldana is a close second on the team with a 71.50 average and five rounds of par or lower and joined Ishiyama in posting red scores in each of her last five rounds. The Mexico City native led the Cougars at the Illini Invitational at Medinah with a score of 8-under 208 to tie for seventh.

Saint Germain is third on the team with a 71.57 average and has posted par or lower in four of her last five rounds. The Prague native tied for fifth at the Schooner Fall Classic at Belmar Golf Club on Sept. 21-23, posting a total of 4-under 136 to tie for fifth and lead the Cougars to the team championship.

TEAM FIELD
Houston will compete in a 12-team field featuring New Mexico, UNLV, North Texas, Texas Tech, Ohio State, Northern Illinois, UTSA, Oklahoma, TCU, Nebraska and host Texas State.

TEE TIMES
Sunday's action begins at 8:30 a.m., with Houston competing in groups with student-athletes from Texas State and UNLV..

Saldana begins the day for the Cougars off No. 10, with Kim (first group off No. 11), Ishiyama (second group off No. 11), Svedenskiold (No. 12) and Saint Germain (No. 13) following. Morales opens play at No. 9.

Fans can find complete tee times and pairings on Scoreboard by clicking here.

JIM WEST CHALLENGE HISTORY
This marks the fourth straight season and sixth time in the last seven years in which the Cougars will compete at the Jim West Challenge. Houston did not compete in 2020-21 with the cancellation of the fall season due to the COVID pandemic.

Houston has earned third-place finishes in its last two appearances and three overall during their tournament history.

A year ago, the Cougars finished third with a score of 28-under 836 after posting three straight sub-par team scores. Kim enjoyed three straight rounds under par and tied for ninth with a score of 9-under 207 to lead the Cougars.

Svedenskiold, Nicole Abelar and Hyeonji Kang joined her among the Top-25 individual leaders.

UP NEXT
With the conclusion of the Jim West Challenge, the Cougars will close their Fall schedule.

Houston now will take its holiday break before opening the spring season at the Collegiate Individual at Guadalajara Country Club in Mexico on Jan. 30-Feb. 2, 2025.

From there, Houston plays host to their own Chevron Collegiate at Golf Club of Houston in Humble, Texas, on Feb. 24-25, 2025.

The spring slate continues as they Cougars tee off at the Riverbend Intercollegiate at Riverbend Country Club in Sugar Land, Texas, on March 10-11, 2025.

SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Women's Golf by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – and by joining the P.A.R. 4 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Women's Golf for needs beyond its operating budget.

STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarWGolf on X (formerly known as Twitter) and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarWGolf or on the team's Instagram page at UHCougarWGolf.

– UHCougars.com –