STOCKTON, Calif.  – The 2024 NCAA DII Women’s Golf West Regional teed off on Monday at the Brookside Country Club in Stockton, Calif., with reigning GNAC Player of the Year Meera Minhas leading Simon Fraser in a tie for ninth place among the 66-golfer field at the end of the first round.

Minhas ended her first day on the par-72, 5,972-yard course with a score of 1-under-par 71 that sees her in a three-way tie and four strokes behind tournament leader Sofia Benavides of Oklahoma Christian.  Minhas finished the day with three birdies, including two on the back nine, to lead the team. The Red Leafs sit 10th in the team standings after one day with a score of 7-over-par 295, just one stroke behind ninth-place Cal State San Marcos.

Behind Minhas, the rest of the Simon Fraser scoring effort was covered by just two strokes. Reigning GNAC champion Dana Smith carded a 2-over-par 74 to open her first NCAA tournament and tie for 34th at the end of the first day. After finding herself above par early on the front nine, Smith rebounded well to finish with a birdie on hole nine and shoot even-par on every hole across the back nine.

Anaya Bhandal and Sueah Park rounded out the scoring effort for the Red Leafs as part of a nine-way tie for 39th with scores of 3-over-par 75. Bhandal notched a pair of birdies on the front nine while Park picked up one. Like Smith, Park played well on the back nine where she shot even par on every hole. Kassie Muanyam finished the day in a tie for 54th with a score of 5-over-par 77.

Reigning national champion No. 1 Dallas Baptist University leads the field of 12 teams in first place with a score of 6-under-par 282, followed by West Texas A&M with a score of 4-under-par 284. The 2024 NCAA Women’s Golf West Regional will continue tomorrow with the first pairing teeing off at 8:00 a.m. (Pacific).