PINEHURST, N.C. – On a challenging scoring day at Pinehurst No. 6, UCF and Tulsa set the pace on the field on Sunday during the first round of the 2021 American Athletic Conference Women’s Golf Championship.
 
The average score for the first day of the tournament checked in at 77.12 on the par-72, 6,290-yard layout of Pinehurst No. 6. Only two players in the field of 50 fired rounds under par on Sunday, with just seven total players at even par or better.
 
UCF, the tournament’s second seed, enjoyed a strong team showing in the morning to post a score of 5-over-par 293 to share the top spot. Ana Laura Collado was around the individual lead for much of her round and poured in four birdies to tie for third place with a 72 (E). Camille Banzet shared eighth place with a 1-over-par 73, and Tunrada Piddon and Alyssa Lamoureux each capped the team scoring with matching scores of 74 (+2) to share 11th.
 
Tulsa joined the Knights in a tie at the top at 5-over 293. Lorena Tseng and Taylor Dobson each fired a 72 to share third individually, with Tseng coming in with a bogey-free side of 2-under-par 34 on the back nine. Lilly Thomas tied for 11th with an opening day 74 (+2), and Haley Greb shared 17th place at 3-over 75.
 
Two-time defending champion Houston finished three strokes off the opening pace with a team total of 8-over 296. Anne Normann shot an even-par 72 to tie for third place to lead the Cougars, while Zoe Slaughter shared 11th with a 74. Karen Fredgaard and Maria Jose Martinez each tied for 17th place with scores of 3-over-par 75.
 
Host East Carolina was in solo fourth place at 298 (+10) thanks to a sizzling 1-under 71 for Dorthea Forbrigd to tie for first place individually on the day. USF was the solo fifth place team on the leaderboard with a score of 301 (+13).
 
Abby Hermann of Memphis equaled Forbrigd with a 1-under-par round of 71 to share the individual lead, firing a 35 (-1) on the back side. USF’s Melania Green joined the previously mentioned contingent tied for third place at even par.
 
Tee times will begin for Monday’s second round off the first tee at 8 a.m. (ET). Teams will go off in groups of two beginning with Cincinnati and Wichita State.