BROKEN ARROW, Okla. – Henderson State, winners of the last three Great American Conference Women’s Golf championships, grabbed a nine-stroke lead after Sunday’s opening round of the 2024 GAC Championships from The Club at Forest Ridge. All five Reddies finished the day inside the top 15. Southwestern Oklahoma State’s Megan Brown registered a 2-under par 70 to take the individual lead.
GAC Player of the Year Allie Bianchi paced the No. 13 Reddies with a 1-under round to sit in second place. After failing to record a birdie on any of her first 13 holes, she closed with three on her final five holes. Fellow unanimous First-Team All-GAC performer Jinna Boonbumroongsuk finished the day in third place after an even-par round. Daphney Tilton carded a 3-over 75; Lily Nelson shot a 4-over 76 and First-Team All-GAC honoree Felisa Sajulga posted a 6-over 78.
|| 2024 GAC CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARDS || SECOND-ROUND TEE TIMES ||
Brown, a First-Team All-GAC selection, flirted with the tournament’s single-round scoring record after she played the first 15 holes in 5-under par. Consecutive double bogeys dropped her back to 1-under before a closing birdie, her seventh of the round, on the par-5 18th hole gave her sole possession of the lead. Freya Sala ended the day in fifth place following a 2-over 74. Drew Dodgion, a fellow First-Team individual, shot 6-over.
Arkansas Tech checked in in third position. Three Golden Suns ended Sunday inside the top 10 in Ellen Spigner, Claire Orcutt and Averi Mickelson. Spigner made three birdies as part of a 1-over round. She placed fourth. Orcutt tied for sixth following a 3-over 75 and Mickelson, following a 5-over start on her first five holes, played the final 13 holes in even par to share 10th.
Harding claimed fourth. Brenda Sanchez and Kodie Winnings led the Lady Bisons with 6-over 78s. GAC Freshman of the Year Sydney Kincade registered a 7-over round.
Southeastern Oklahoma State, playing in its first GAC Women’s Championship, finished round one in fifth place, one shot clear of Oklahoma Baptist and five ahead of Northwestern Oklahoma State. Karen Kim paced the Savage Storm as her 5-over 77 left her in a tie for 10th. The Rangers’ Romane Lacoste finished inside the top 10 following a 4-over 76.
Southern Nazarene, Southern Arkansas and Arkansas-Monticello rounded out the field in a three-way tie for eighth. SAU’s Emma Hester carded a 5-over 77 to share 10th place.
Monday’s second round begins at 8 a.m. All women’s teams will start off of the 10th tee.