Monday, April 20, 2015

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – The Western Washington women have taken a commanding lead after the first round of the 2015 GNAC Golf Championship Presented by the Coeur d’Alene Resort Monday.

The Vikings, who have won the past four GNAC Championships, finished with a first-round score of 311, taking an 11-shot lead over the field into the second and final round tomorrow.

Three WWU golfers finished in the top five after the first round of play. Freshman Jenn Paul and junior Kristen Hansen, who had two of the three lowest-average rounds in the GNAC coming into the tournament, are tied in second with carding a pair of 76 scores.

Northwest Nazarene’s Samantha Miller is the individual leader with an 18-hole score of 74. Miller ended the day with 13 pars and a birdie on 17.

MSUB finished with seven birdies as a team as it turned in a 322 in day one. Northwest Nazarene and Simon Fraser are right behind with scores of 326 and 328 respectively. Saint Martin's carded a 342.

WWU’s Anna Bourland, last year’s tournament champion, and SFU’s Erin Farner are tied for fourth at 78.

The top golfers for MSUB and Saint Martin’s, Sammy Walter and Jennifer Liedes, are tied for sixth at 79.

The women’s final round will start Tuesday at 8 a.m.