West Central Reporter

The Western Illinois Women's Golf team will commence their season at the Payne Stewart Invitational on Monday, September 9, and Tuesday, September 10. This marks the first of five tournaments for the women's golf team this fall.

Western Illinois returns six players from last year's squad. Gabriela Galindo Rubio and Olivia Kerr are among the notable returners. Rubio participated in five events last season, with her best finish being tied for 9th at the ASU Spring Classic. Kerr played in all 11 events last season and achieved three top-20 finishes, with her best result being tied for 7th at the WIU Intercollegiate. Other returning players include Makalya Mussatto and Mia Scrimgeour. Mussatto also played in all 11 events last season, with her best finish being tied for 11th at the ASU Spring Classic. Scrimgeour had four top-20 finishes in five events.

New additions to the team include Sophia Thorne from New Lenox, IL; Caroline Carr from Frankfort, IL; and Cianna Law. Thorne qualified twice for the Illinois High School State tournament and earned multiple all-conference honors, finishing first in the 2023 conference tournament. Carr led her team to the State Sectional and was a two-time medalist in her senior year. Law is a three-time Junior Club Champion as well as the Alberta Junior Open Champion, having finished in the top five of eight out of eleven summer events in 2023.

The Payne Stewart Invitational will be held at Twin Oaks Country Club in Springfield, Missouri. The course is a par-71 that plays over 6,070 yards. The tournament consists of three rounds: rounds one and two will take place on Monday, followed by round three on Tuesday.

Teams competing alongside Western Illinois include Missouri State, Creighton, Drury, Lindenwood, North Dakota State, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Oral Roberts, Southern Indiana, Texas A&M-Commerce, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.