PROVIDENCE, R.I. – After the opening round of NCAA Golf Championship regional play, Houston’s Megan Thothong sits one stroke out of the lead at the Austin Regional, while SMU’s Brigitte Dunne is in a tie for sixth, two shots out of the lead on the University of Texas Golf Club course.

Thothong sank a team-high five birdies on the way to a 69, checking off seven straight pars before making her first birdie of the day on the 159-yard, par-3 eighth hole.

After two more pars, Thothong enjoyed another birdie on the par-5 11^th hole but gave the stroke back with a bogey on the next hole. She quickly rallied with two birdies in a 3-hole stretch on the par-5 14^th hole and on the par-3 16^th hole.

Although she endured a bogey on No. 17, the 2018 All-American Athletic Conference performer capped her round with her final birdie on No. 18 for a 69. She equaled the Cougars’ low-round record in an NCAA Regional, set by current teammate Leonie Harm in the First and Final rounds at the 2016 NCAA Baton Rouge Regional.

Dunne followed up an impressive 2-under front nine by finishing the round with an even-par back nine. The junior had a very clean day of golf, firing four birdies while recording just two bogeys. 

The top-three individuals not affiliated with the six advancing teams from the 18-team regional field will advance to the NCAA Championship, which takes place May 18-23 at Karsten Creek Golf Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma. After one round, Dunne is currently in a tie for the third-best non-affiliated individual. 

In the team standings, ECU sits in a tie for 12^th, led by Dorthea Forbrigd’s 73. The Pirates, who are tied with No. 21 Oklahoma, tallied a round one score of 299 (11-over) and are eight shots out of sixth place. 

Freshman Kathryn Carson posted a 2-over 74 (35-39) and is tied for 47th place. The rookie recorded two birdies, a pair of bogeys and a double bogey in her first NCAA Regional. Juniors Carley Cox (38-38) and Kate Law (39-37) are tied for 55th after posting rounds of 76 (4-over), while senior Lisa Pettersson is tied for 82nd following her round of 79 (39-40).

As a team, the 25^th-ranked Cougars were tied for 14^th with a score of 300. Leonie Harm, the 2018 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, was tied for 55^th with a 76, while senior and All-American Athletic Conference performer Courtney Tibiletti was tied for 70^th with a 77. Making her NCAA postseason debut, sophomore Amanda Elich was tied for 77^th at 78, while senior and All-American Athletic Conference honoree Allie Andersen was tied for 85^th with an 80.

No. 8 and host Texas held the First-Round lead with a score of 7-under 281, three strokes ahead of third-ranked Arkansas. No. 11 Michigan State (285), Virginia Tech (288), No. 35 Baylor (288), No. 41 BYU (291), No. 14 Florida (291), No. 19 Auburn (292), No. 38 Texas A&M (295), UTSA (298) and No. 30 Miami (Fla.) (298) rounded out the Top 10.

At the Tallahassee Regional, UCF’s Kaeli Jones sits in a tie for 53^rd after an opening round 75 on the par 72 Don Veller Seminole Golf Course. Starting her day on the 10^th hole, Jones went out in 1-under par after birdies on the 11^th and 15^th holes. A double-bogey on the second hole set Jones back before a birdie at the last brought her in at 3-over par for the round.

Jones will tee off her second round at 8:50 a.m. ET on the first hole. 

All rounds of the NCAA Golf Championship can be followed at Golfstat.com.