PALM COAST, FLA. – No. 23 Houston fired a combined 3-over par score of 291 to take the lead after the first round of the 2018 American Athletic Conference Women’s Golf Championship on the Conservatory Course at the Hammock Beach Resort. Individually, ECU freshman Kathryn Carson fired a 3-under par round of 69 to open a one-shot edge on 6,276-yard, par-72 layout.

 
Playing in windy conditions ahead of strong afternoon storms, the Cougars were led by Leonie Harm, who sits one shot back of Carson after an opening round 70. After playing the first nine holes in 1-over par, Harm fired a 3-under 33 on the backside to post her third round under par in four career rounds at the Conservatory Course. In 2017, Harm held the overnight lead following a 66 in the opening round.
 
Also scoring for Houston were Megan Thothong (73) and Courtney Tibiletti (73) – part of an eight-woman group of players at 1-over in the opening round. Amanda Elich (75) rounded out the Coogs’ lineup.
 
Carson birdied the par-5 18^th hole to take the round one lead. After going out in 34, Carson parred the first eight holes of the back nine before the closing birdie. In total, Carson posted four birdies on her round, matching the second-most in the field.
 
The freshman helped No. 47 ECU into a tie for third in the team standings, where the Pirates’ 8-over par score matches that of Memphis.
 
Memphis senior Emily Goldenstein was one of five players to post a round under par on Sunday, posting six birdies on her way to round of 1-under 71. Goldenstein was joined in the top 10 by junior Madison Thomas, whose 73 put her into a tie for seventh.
 
UCF, the defending American champion, sits two shots behind Houston after an opening round 293. The Knights’ No. 1 player, Kaeli Jones, was steady en route to an opening 71. Jones made two birdies against one bogey while turning in 15 pars. Jones was joined in the top 10 by teammate Ana Laura Collado, whose 1-over 73 placed her into the octet tied for seventh.
 
Making its debut in The American, Wichita State sits nine shots back in fifth place. Taryn Torgerson opened her round with a birdie on the 359-yard, par-4 1^st, and she closed her round by birdieing the 503-yard, par-5 closing hole. At 2-under 70, Torgerson is one of two players, along with Harm, one shot back of Carson. Teammate Laine Evans opened in 35 before settling for a round of 73.
 
Also at 73 were Olivia Jackson and Anneke Strobach of Tulsa, helping the Golden Hurricane into sixth place. Tulsa is competing in the championship with just four players due to injury, but opened with a team score of 305 on Sunday.
 
Cincinnati, led by Alyssa Burritt’s opening 72, sits in seventh place in the team standings with a score of 306, while Burritt is in sixth place among the leaders.
 
Tulane (310) and SMU (311) sit in eighth and ninth, respectively, while Natalia Villavicencio’s 73 leads USF (314).
 
Round two Tee times will begin at 8:00 a.m. ET on Monday, April 16. Live scoring will be available via Golfstat.