HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Great American Conference Player of the Year Peerada Piddon posted the lone round under par as she led Arkansas Tech to the first-round lead at the GAC Women’s Golf Championships on the Park Course at the Hot Springs Country Club.
 
She made three birdies on her opening nine before finishing with a 1-under par 71. Her teammate, a fellow First-Team All-GAC selection Pia Nunbhakdi posted a 2-over 74 to end the day in a tie for fourth place. Rounds of 78 from Avery Struck and Holly Standing gave Golden Suns a first-day score of 13-over 301.
 
Southwestern Oklahoma State finished Sunday in second, five shots behind Arkansas Tech. The Bulldogs’ First-Team All-GAC tandem of Gloria Choi and Elin Wahlin led the way as Choi carded a 1-over par round and Wahlin shot a 76. Choi sits in a tie for second; Wahlin shares sixth and Chloe Thackeray’s 5-over 77 places her in a tie for 10^th.
 
Henderson State placed third, four shots in back of SWOSU. Like the Bulldogs, three Reddies wound up inside the top 10. Luisa Gartmann and Allison Davis joined Wahlin at sixth while Taylor Loeb capped her round in 10^th.
 
Helle Leed led Southern Arkansas to a fourth-place standing after day one. The All-GAC First-Team performers produced three birdies on her 1-over round of 73 and left her tied with Choi for second place. Bailey Carr filled out the four-way for sixth place after she made one of the rare birdies on the 18^th hole, Sunday’s toughest hole, to shoot a 76.
 
Oklahoma Baptist and Arkansas-Monticello shared fifth place, one shot behind the Lady Muleriders. Michelle Carr made four birdies and turned in a 2-over round to join Nunbhakdi in a tie for fourth. UAM’s Brianna Dickerson tallied a round-high five birdies as part of her round of 76. Frida Rydberg matched her teammate with a 76 of her own.
 
Southern Nazarene ended in seventh with Northwestern Oklahoma State and Harding tied for eighth. Kaylee Petersen posted the low round for the Cirimson Storm with a 77. Kelsi Wilson led the Rangers by carding a 78 and Brooklyn Terry finished as the Lady Bisons’ top performer.
 
Monday’s second round begins at 7:30 a.m. with the members of the Crimson Storm, Lady Bisons and Rangers hitting the opening tee shots.