Deanna Salvatori of the Grand Canyon women's golf team, fired a first round 72 and is the leader of the Western Athletic Conference Championship after the first day at Indian Hills Country Club in Mission Hills, Kansas.
While not eligible to win the WAC team title, the Lopes played well with a 311 team score, which ranked as the fifth best of the day, just eight shots back of the 303 shot by team leading UMKC. GCU finished just two shots off the pace of tourney favorite NM State at 309.
Salvatori leads the WAC tourney by one shot after a round consisting of one birdie and three bogeys, good for a 2-over, 72.
Courtney Vogel was just outside the top-10 with a 77. Vogel withstood a tough four hole stretch going 6-over from holes seven through 10, but regrouped to shoot 1-over her final eight holes.
Leleaga Meredith and
Amy Ruelas both shot 81s, while
Kylie Fong finished with an 83.
GCU will be in the first wave of golfers to tee off in Thursday's second round at the par-70 Indian Hills Country Club.
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