LAKE CITY, Minn. – A resilient second-day effort helped Sioux Falls secure a seventh-place finish in the 12-team field at The Jewel Invitational. The Cougars posted a two-round score of 657 (+81) on the par-71, 5,804-yard layout at The Jewel Golf Club, a course recognized for its environmental stewardship and championship-caliber design.

Team Statistics

• Finish: 7th of 12 teams

• Total Score: 632 (+64)

• Top Individuals:

  • Gwen Latunski – 80-71—151 (+9), T-9th

  • Abbie Ritzer – 80-77—157 (+15), T-23rd

  • Avery Nelson – 80-78—158 (+16), T-26th

  • Bryn Huber – 85-84—169 (+27), T-46th

  • Alissa Thorfinnson – 93-81—174 (+32), T-55th

  • Cecelia VanDenTop – 89-93—182 (+40), T-64th

How It Happened

The Cougars rebounded from a tough opening round to post one of the stronger second-day team scores in the field. Freshman Gwen Latunski led the charge with a standout 71 (even par) in round two, vaulting her into a tie for 9th overall. Her score matched the second-lowest round of the tournament.

Behind her, Abbie Ritzer and Avery Nelson provided depth with rounds in the 70s on day two, each placing in the top 30. Alissa Thorfinnson showed impressive improvement, shaving 12 strokes from round one to finish with an 81 in her second collegiate round.

Coach's Corner

"The second round showed what we are capable of doing. After a disappointing first day, we really bounced back. Extremely proud of Gwen to shoot 71 in just her second collegiate tournament. And we got good play from Abbie and Avery, plus Alissa was impressive in just her second round of college golf," said USF Head Coach Wade Merry.

Key Coo

Latunski's final-round 71 stood as a statement performance, helping the Cougars climb the leaderboard and providing momentum as the season continues.

Course Notes

The field averaged an 82.62 across 142 rounds at The Jewel, with the par-5 16th playing as the toughest hole (+0.91 over par). Latunski's even-par score in round two was well below the field average of 82.44.

Up Next

The Cougars continue their fall schedule next week at the Mustang Invitational, at the Marshall Golf Club in Marshall, Minn., September 27-28.

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