Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

37° Evanston, IL
Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881

The Daily Northwestern

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NU in full swing for Big Tens

When freshman Ina Kim encounters problems with her swing, she can’t easily turn to her coach at home to work out the glitches. Fortunately for the Southern California native, she has another resource: her sister.

“We know each other’s games,” Kim said. “Whenever we have problems, we can’t talk to coaches back home. We just talk to each other.”

Ina and her sister, sophomore Hana, are one of two pairs of sisters on the Northwestern women’s golf team, which heads downstate this weekend for the Big Ten championships.

And for a sport in which one minor swing change can throw off a golfer’s game, sisterly advice can be invaluable.

The elder Kim has already noticed a difference having her sister around this year.

“It’s been really great,” Hana said. “She and I get along really well. Our games are similar, so we can bounce ideas off each other.”

That chemistry will be crucial this weekend at Urbana’s Stone Creek Golf Club, a 6,276-yard, par-72 course known for its wide, sloping fairways.

Head coach Chris Regenberg said the Kim sisters should challenge for the top spots on the leaderboard Sunday.

“The Big Ten field is very close in talent between the first- and sixth-place teams,” Regenberg said in a statement. “It’ll be exciting to see who gets off to a good start.”

That good start could make the difference in Urbana. Good scores in today’s opening two rounds would place the Wildcats in contention going into the weekend.

Each team will send six golfers to Urbana, with the top four individual scores counting toward the team total.

The fifth-seeded Cats, who tied with Indiana for second behind Michigan State at last year’s championships, will face stiff competition again from the Spartans, who are ranked fourth by Golfweek. No. 12 Ohio State, led by Mollie Fankhauser, is also a force to be reckoned with. Fankhauser returns after winning last year’s individual championship by two strokes.

The Spartans’ Emily Bastel also will challenge for the individual title. The senior ranks 13th nationally.

NU senior Emily Gilley, competing in her final Big Ten event, will lead the effort for the Cats. Gilley has already proven herself on this course, finishing third at the Lady Northern Invitational on Sept. 21-23.

“She’s geared herself to be ready for this event,” Regenberg said. “She’s always focused and intensely competitive. She’s ready to place very high individually.”

Erin Breslin, Elizabeth Burden, Lauren Grzebien and the Kim sisters round out the Cats’ squad.

According to Regenberg, Burden is hitting her stride at just the right time.

“She is starting to see some wonderful results from swing adjustments and her game is starting to peak at the right time for our season,” Regenberg said. “I’d expect a top individual finish for her.”

Meanwhile, both Hana and Ina feel they have something to prove in Urbana this weekend.

“We haven’t had as good a season as we could have,” Ina said. “We have some really great players, we have high expectations going in, and I think we have good chances to do well.

“We can all shoot low numbers if we get it together.”

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Northwestern University and Evanston's Only Daily News Source Since 1881
NU in full swing for Big Tens