Carbondale Reporter

Southern Illinois University's women's golf team secured an 11th place finish at the Advance Golf Partners Invitational held in Palm City, Florida. Leading the Salukis were Kayla Sayyalinh and Pihla Pennanen, who tied for 28th and 32nd positions, respectively. Notably, Pennanen recorded a low round of 72 (E) during the second round, contributing to the team's overall score of 295 for that segment.

Head Coach Rory Weinfurther highlighted the importance of strategic play in their successful second round. "The second round had a lot of pretty accessible and good pins so I think after going over the course the night before and then seeing it that gave them a lot of confidence to attack the pins and make some birdies," Weinfurther stated.

The individual performances saw Sayyalinh finishing with a total score of 223 (+7), while Pennanen ended with 224 (+7). Other team members included Ella Overstreet at T-58th with a score of 231 (+14), Allie Santos at T-64th scoring 234 (+17), and Calli Smith at T-73rd with a score of 241 (+24).

Looking ahead, Coach Weinfurther emphasized the need for consistency. "I think going forward we just need to work on keeping our momentum and not expecting to have great rounds every time but that we need to work hard for them even when pins may be tougher for the day," she remarked.

The Salukis are set to return to competition on March 3 in Huntsville, Alabama. Fans can follow their progress through updates on X (@SIU_WGolf), Facebook (@Saluki Women's Golf), and Instagram (@siu_wgolf).