Golfer Molly Hudgins has reached another level on the golf course, head coach Diane Daugherty said.

Hudgins led SIUC, finishing tied for 14th in a field of 90 golfers, with a career-best 236 at the Lady Northern Invitational at Bloomington, Ind., this weekend. The Salukis ended play in 13th place out of a 15-team field. Indiana won the tournament posting a 914.

Molly’s game is at a new level now, Daugherty said. Molly’s bad shots aren’t that bad.

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Daugherty said Hudgins’ jump to a higher level of play results from the hard work and dedication she exhibits daily on the golf course.

It’s all due to her hard work, she said. If everyone had her work ethic, we’d be national champions.

Hudgins said consistency was the key to her performance.

I hit greens and I hit fairways and had a lot of pars, she said. I hit the ball well all weekend. It kept the momentum going.

Other golfers need to develop a level of consistency to reduce SIUC’s scores in future competitions. Daugherty said her team has the ability to shoot the scores necessary to do so.

We can’t quite get four scores around 80 at the same time, she said. Every player on my team is capable of shooting 80s.

Hudgins said confidence and frame of mind are major stumbling blocks golfers need to overcome before they can shoot low scores consistently.

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It’s a confidence thing, she said. When you are comfortable shooting in the 70s it is easier to keep it (scoring) in that area.

The Salukis are still a young squad and each tournament played adds experience that serves as the foundation of a strong squad.

We are very young in experience, Daugherty said. I tell them every time they play to take an experience out of it and use it to be better the next time around.

SIUC faced Big 10 competition similar to the field faced at the Northwestern Wildcat Invitational Sept. 24-25. Indiana University, Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin were among the competitors. Illinois State was the only school from the Northwestern Invitational not competing in the tournament.

Daugherty said the high level of competition in fall play will benefit her squad during the spring season.

The level of competition has gone way up this year, she said. It can’t hurt us as long as we don’t get frustrated, as long as we don’t lose sight of that.

SIUC rounds out its fall season at the Lady Kat Invitational in Lexington, Ky. Oct. 6-8.