Women’s golf: Defending champ Deer Park to host IVWGI on Sunday

Deer Park is the two-time defending Illinois Valley Women’s Golf invitational champions.

It will get to play for a three-peat on its home course.

The 65th annual IVWGI will be held at Deer Park Golf Club in Oglesby on Sunday.

Defending champion Cheri Russell, of Morris, heads the list of individual golfers. She has won three titles in seven years and four dating back to 2010.

Russell beat out Kirsten McLendon, of Deer Park, by five strokes (83-88) to win last year’s title at Wyaton Hills in Princeton.

McLendon, who won in 2022 at Spring Creek, is the only other past champion scheduled to play.

Other top challengers will be Julie Schmidt, of Deer Park, who placed third last year, and newcomer Stephanie Arduini, of the Oaks at River’s Edge Golf Course in Pontiac. They will join Russell and McLendon in the lead group, which tees off at 12:50 p.m.

Wyaton Hills returns as the Low Net team champion.

Wyaton Hills won the low net championship in Sunday's Illinois Valley Women's Golf Invitational Championship. Team members are (from left to right) Anna Flaig, Nancy Pierson, Mary Stander, Carol Towne, Karen Towns, Ann Lusher, Nancy Bland and Deb Maritz. Absent from photo: Carolyn Barkley. — Wyaton Hills won the low net championship in the 2023 Illinois Valley Women's Golf Invitational tournament on its home course. Team members were (from left to right) Anna Flaig, Nancy Pierson, Mary Stander, Carol Towne, Karen Towns, Ann Lusher, Nancy Bland and Deb Maritz. Absent from photo: Carolyn Barkley. (Photo provided)

Other participating clubs are Deer Park, Edgewood Park, Cedardell of Plano, Earlville, Eastwood of Streator and Morris Country Club.

Prophet Hills, which won team championships in its first two years in 2016 and 2017 and placed third in 2021, is not competing in this year’s tournament.

There will be 18 holes played beginning at 11 a.m. Sunday with all golfers going off on hole No. 1.

In addition to the A, B, and C flights, there will be divisions for seniors and super seniors.

As of Monday afternoon, there were 37 women signed up.

The tournament was formed in 1958 designed for all clubs within a 60-mile radius of the old South Bluff Country Club in Peru, the original host. June Anderson, of Mendota, won the first three tournaments and six of the first seven.

Sunday’s Pairings

C CLASS

11 a.m. - Deb Sweeden (DP), Linda Wargo (EW), Mary Stander (WH)

11:10 a.m. - Pamela Rogers (DP), Kim Muscato (EW), Karen Habben (DP), Deb Maritz (WH)

11:20 a.m. - Loie Ruth (EW), Trina Creedon (DP), Jan Booker (SC)

B CLASS

11:30 a.m. - Julie Ramza (EW), Lana Atkinson (DP), Karen Towns (WH)

11:40 a.m. - Denise Parlier (EP), Nicole Gayan (DP), Anna Flaig (WH)

11:50 a.m. - Alicia Yuvan (SC), Gina Anderson (MCC), Carol Kuzmich (DP), Elisa Gugerty (WH)

A CLASS

12 p.m. - Bonnie Marusich (SC), Karen Slattery (MCC), Dee Piercy (DP)

12:10 p.m. - Mary Kiefer (SC), Tina Kott (CDR), Barb Houston (DP)

12:20 p.m. - Tammy Johnson (MCC), Mary Scheri (SC), Crissy Allison (SC)

CHAMPIONSHIP CLASS

12:40 p.m. - Beth Worsley (DP), Sheila Skinner (EV), Bonnie Dimmig (EW), Allison Thome (Ind.)

12:50 p.m. - Kirsten McLendon (DP), Julie Schmitt (DP), Stephanie Arduini (Oaks), Cheri Russell (MCC)

PARTICIPATING CLUBS: Deer Park (DP), Edgewood Park (EP), Cedardell (CDR), Earlville (EV), Eastwood (EW), Morris Country Club (MCC), Oaks, Spring Creek (SC), Wyaton Hills (WH)