Women’s Golf Finishes Second at Illini Invitational at Medinah

MEDINAH, Ill. – University of Houston Women's Golf junior Alexa Saldana posted a 2-under 70 during the Final Round of the Illini Invitational at Medinah and tied for seventh at 8-under 208 to lead the Cougars to a second-place team finish at Medinah Country Club on Tuesday afternoon.

As a team, Houston enjoyed its third straight round under par at the Illini Invitational at Medinah and its fifth straight overall with a score of 281 Tuesday on the way to a two-day score of 837. Mississippi captured the team championship with a score of 834.

With their finish, the Cougars posted their third straight Top-Three team finish to open the 2024-25 season and second consecutive Top-Two showing. Houston captured the team championship at the Schooner Fall Classic at Belmar Golf Club on Sept. 21-23.

Saldana was one of four Cougars to finish among the Top-20 individual leaders. Freshman Annika Ishiyama tied for 10^th at 7-under 209 while sophomore Maelynn Kim tied for 14^th at 6-under 210 on the 6,166-yard, par-72 No. 2 course.

Junior and two-time All-Conference performer Moa Svedenkiold finished with a 71 and tied for 17^th at 4-under 212. The Halmstad, Sweden, native enjoyed the 15^th Top-20 finish of her career and needs only two more to tie Raegan Bremer (2013-15) for fourth in Houston career history.

Junior Natalie Saint Germain made the Cougars' biggest jump, rising 10 places in the individual standings to tie for 29^th at 2-under 214. The Prague native recorded the Cougars' low round of the day with a 69, thanks to four birdies and only one bogey.

Saldana opened her Final Round with two birdies in her first seven holes and rallied from bogeys at No. 8 and No. 11 to drain her final birdies in a two-hole stretch at Nos. 14-16 to earn her second Top-10 showing this season.

Ishiyama sank five birdies in the Final Round and earned third straight Top-20 finish to open her collegiate career and her second straight Top-10 showing.

Auburn (839), UCF (845), UCLA (845), Alabama (857), Texas Tech (858), Georgia (859), Indiana (860) and Maryland (861) completed the Top 10.

Auburn's Anna Davis earned medalist honors with a score of 13-under 203. Georgia's Morgan Smith finished second at 206 while Lexanne Halama (Illinois), Caitlyn Macnab (Mississippi), Anna Pillard (Maryland) and Molly Smith (UCF) tied for third at 207.

Zoe Antoinette Campos (UCLA) and Kajsalotta Svarvar (Mississippi) joined Saldana in a tie for seventh at 208.

ILLINI INVITATIONAL at MEDINAH HISTORY
This marked the second straight season in which the Cougars competed at the Illini Invitational at Medinah.

In 2023, Houston tied for sixth with a score of even-par 864. Svedenskiold fired three straight rounds of par or lower, including a 67 in the Final Round, to tie for sixth at 5-under 211. Saldana joined her among the Top-20 leaders.

UP NEXT
The Cougars close their fall campaign at the Jim West Challenge at Kissing Tree Golf Club in San Marcos, Texas, on Oct. 20-21.

Houston finished third at the 2023 tournament with Kim tying for ninth at 9-under 207, thanks to a 68 in the Final Round.

From there, the Cougars will take their holiday break before opening the spring season at the Collegiate Individual at Guadalajara Country Club in Mexico on Jan. 30-Feb. 2, 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.

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– UHCougars.com –

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