Pawichai's 67 leads AU women after first day of Lady Paladin Invitational

Staff report

TRAVELERS REST, S.C.—Puntita Pawichai shot a 5-under-par 67 on Friday, Sept. 18, to lead the Augusta University women’s golf team after the first round of the Lady Paladin Invitational at the Furman University Golf Course.

Pawichair’s six-birdie, one-bogey round propelled the Jaguars into fifth place after 18 holes of the 54-hole event. She was tied with three other golfers and trailed Isabel Brozena of Xavier University of Ohio by a single shot. Brozena shot 66 with six birdies on the day.

The University of Alabama was the team leader at 7 under par, followed by host Furman at 5 under par. In third place belonged to Xavier and High Point University, both at 3 under par.

AU was fifth at 1 over par, a shot ahead of Florida Gulf Coast on the Paladins’ home course. Danielle Higbee turned in the Jaguars’ second-best round at 1 over par, good for 22nd place, followed by Sofia Valera at 2 over for 27th place and Sara Adams at 3 over (tied for 35th). McKinley Holding rounded out AU’s five-woman squad with a 4-over-par 76 to tie foe 40th place.

Pawichai, the sophomore from Si Racha, Thailand, birdied the first, sixth, seventh, 11th, 12th and 13th holes before bogeying the 17th.

The second round will be played Saturday, Sept. 19.