Metamora, Ill. -- The Thunder women's golf team returned to the Metamora Fields Golf Club on Tuesday morning for the second round of this week's CCIW Championship. Today's 18 holes of play saw no movement at the top and bottom of the team standings, as Illinois Wesleyan extended its lead in first place and Wheaton remained in eighth position despite an improved second-round performance. The eight teams competing in this year's tournament will conclude the event with a third and final round on Wednesday.
The Thunder squad bettered its first-round total by a combined 14 strokes today, posting a second-day mark of 365 (+81) to head into the last round of competition on a two-day tally of 744. Wheaton currently sits 53 shots behind seventh-placed Carroll University, who fell in the team standings on Tuesday as a result of a round score of 349. Elmhurst moved up one place in the order into sixth by improving its first-day total of 343 by nine strokes this morning.
Emma Lee continued to lead the way for Wheaton in today's round, carding an 18-hole mark of 82 (+11) to better her opening-round total by one stroke. This score moved the freshman up three spots on the 49-player individual leaderboard into a tie for 20th place. The top ten individual finishers at this year's conference championship will earn First Team All-CCIW recognition while the golfers who place 11th-20th will garner Second Team honors, and the rookie will be aiming to secure her place among these medalists in tomorrow's final round.
Abby Crutchley had the most improved performance from day one of the Thunder group this morning, shooting an 89 (+18) to better her Monday score by ten strokes and bring her competition total to 188.
Ava Hartnett registered a 97 (+26) on Tuesday and now holds a two-day score of 193.
Molly Holbert matched Hartnett's 97 this morning and is just behind her first-year teammate in the solo standings on a total mark of 198. Like Holbert,
Abby Smith fared four strokes better on today's 18 and tallied a round score of 102 to bring her tournament total to 208.
Smith will be the first Wheaton golfer to tee off in Wednesday's closing round, as her start time is scheduled for 9:09 AM with her teammates following in nine-minute increments after her.
Monday Recap
Metamora, Ill. -- Three weeks after hosting the CCIW Preview competition at the Metamora Fields Golf Club, the Wheaton women's golf team has returned to the central Illinois course for the main event, the 2025 CCIW Championship. The Thunder are competing alongside seven other conference teams as the designated hosts of this year's tournament, and the event consists of three rounds over Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week. Wheaton is in eighth place in the team standings after the first 18 holes of play, with five golfers representing the Orange and Blue in the 49-player competition.
Pre-tournament favorites and three-time reigning champions Illinois Wesleyan University lead the pack after Monday's opening round, having registered a combined team score of 301 (+17) this afternoon. Carthage College is not far behind the Titans in second place on a first-day score of 312 (+28). Wheaton carded a total team mark of 379 (+95) on Monday and currently sits 36 shots behind seventh-placed Elmhurst University on 343 (+59). North Park University is not fielding a full lineup at this week's championship and therefore will not be assigned a team score in the eight-squad standings.
Freshman golfer
Emma Lee posted the Thunder's best round of the first day this afternoon, as the California native carded an 83 (+12) to currently stand in a three-way tie for 23rd place on the solo leaderboard.
Fellow first-year player
Ava Hartnett registered a score of 96 (+25) in her debut championship round, and Wheaton's third freshman competitor at this year's tournament,
Abby Crutchley, is close behind Hartnett after the opening round on an 18-hole mark of 99 (+28).
The Thunder's junior duo of
Molly Holbert and
Abby Smith tallied first-day marks of 101 (+30) and 106 (+35), respectively, on Monday.
Tuesday's second round of action will begin at 9:00 AM in Metamora, with Smith leading the five Wheaton participants out on a 9:09 tee time.
