Chambana Sun

All members of the University of Illinois Fighting Illini women’s golf team participated in tournaments across various locations during the summer. The team secured seven titles and nine top-10 finishes.

Senior Anna Ritter began July by winning the 102nd WOSGA Women's Ohio State Amateur Championship, finishing her match on the 13th hole. This victory gave her an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, where she finished tied for 80th out of 155 competitors.

Kylie Eaton, a sophomore, won her second Rhode Island Women’s State Amateur title after defeating her sister in the semi-finals. Eaton previously won this championship in 2022.

Sofia Vargas, a new addition to the team as a sophomore transfer, claimed two titles: the Long Beach Women’s Amateur Championship and the SCGA Women’s Match Play Championship. Her final match at SCGA lasted 20 holes and drew significant local support.

Incoming freshman Alexis Myers ended her junior career with several victories: she won the MAJGT at Oak Meadows by seven shots, took first place at the IJGA Chick Evans Junior Amateur after five rounds of match play, and captured first place at the Junior PGA Championship Qualifier with a score of ten under par. These results advanced her to compete in the 2025 Junior PGA Championship held in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Other notable performances included Tavia Burgess tying for fifth at the Sacramento Valley Women’s Amateur; Erica Lee placing sixteenth at the SCGA Women’s Amateur; and Victoria Zheng reaching the round of sixteen at North & South Women's Amateur.

The Fighting Illini women’s golf team will begin their season with the Illinois Women's Golf Classic from August 28-29 at Atkins Golf Club. The event includes an Illini Hour and live auction on Thursday night followed by a golf scramble on Friday morning. A silent auction is also open for bidding online.

Collegiate competition for Illinois starts September 7-8 with participation in Michigan's Wolverine Invitational.

"Anna Ritter, one of four 2025-26 seniors, started the month of July strong for the Illini. After four days of golf, including three competitive days of match play, Ritter won the 102nd WOSGA Women's Ohio State Amateur Championship – closing out the championship match on the 13th hole. Ritter's title earned her an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Oregon earlier this August where she finished t-80/155 [73,74]."

"After defeating her sister in the semi-finals, Kylie Eaton won her state amateur in July; becoming a two-time Rhode Island Women's State Amateur Champion – her previous win was in 2022."

"Newcomer Sofia Vargas won two events this summer, the 2025 Long Beach Women's Amateur Championship and the 2025 SCGA Women's Match Play Championship. Vargas' final SCGA match lasted 20 holes and drew large crowds rooting for the 'hometown hero' during the back-and-forth match."

"Incoming freshman Alexis Myers closed our her junior career in fashion claiming the MAJGT at Oak Meadows individual title by seven shots [69,72],the IJGA45th Chick Evans JuniorAmateurChampionship after five rounds ofmatchplay,andwinningtheJuniorPGAChampionshipQualifierat10-under[67,67]whichadvancedhertothe2025JuniorPGAChampionshipinWestLafayette ,Ind.,inearlyAugust."