PALM COAST, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) -- Paced by Kaeli Jones, the UCF women's golf team got off to a strong start at the American Athletic Conference Championship Sunday. The Knights are 5-over after the first round, played at the Hammock Beach Resort Conservatory Course. Houston holds the lead after 18 holes at 3-over.
While Jones led the way for the Knights, she had help in the first round. All four of the UCF golfers who counted toward the team score on Sunday were in 17th place or better. Jones was 1-under for the day and is tied for fourth place on the individual leaderboard. Jones birdied back-to-back Par 4 holes on the front nine and suffered just one bogey on the back nine. She was one of just five golfers in the entire field to card a score under par on the first day of the tournament.
Ana Laura Collado was 2-under at one point during her first appearance in a conference championship tournament. But she finished with three bogeys in her final eight holes. Collado is still tied for seventh place at 1-over after a solid first round. Maria Balcazar is just one stroke behind Collado at +2 and is tied for 15th. Balcazar finished strong with two birdies in her final four holes. Chinatsu Kobayashi also experienced her first round at a conference championship Sunday. She is tied for 17th after carding a 3-over 75 in the first round.
Nicolette Donovan rounded out the Knights' lineup. She was 10-over and tied for 43rd.
The defending champion Knights will tee off among the final groups on Monday morning. While the second round begins at 8 a.m., UCF will not tee off until 10:40 a.m. Live scoring is available at the link above.
