BEAUMONT – Led by newcomers Ashley Watkins and Melissa Fahey, the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi golf team finds itself in second place after the opening round of the Southland Conference Championship at the par-71 Beaumont Country Club.

A&M-Corpus Christi carded a team score of 304 (+20) which is its second-lowest round as a team this season to finish the day alone in second. Texas State leads after 18 holes by four strokes over the Islanders with a 16-over 300. Lamar is one stroke behind TAMUCC at 21-over par, with defending SLC champion Sam Houston State two strokes back with a 306 (+22). Central Arkansas is fifth (+24), McNeese State sixth (+25), UTSA seventh (+28), and Nicholls State (+30) eighth to round out the team leaderboard.

"I am extremely pleased with how we played today," said Islander head coach Carol Blackmar. "Ashley and Melissa had tremendous first rounds and the rest of the team played well. We had a great practice round on Sunday and it really gave us a lot of confidence. The team was relaxed and comfortable after the practice round."

Watkins, who joined this team this spring as a transfer from TCU, finished the day tied for second overall with a 1-over par 72. She was a shot under par after 12 holes after a birdie on the par-4 sixth hole, but bogeyed on back-to-back holes to drop to 1-over. Fahey, who transferred from Texas Tech at the start of the year, was tied for fourth one-shot back with a 2-over 73..

Chelsey Cooper had the team’s third-best round with an 8-over 79, while Ashley Olynick is tied for 29th after 18 holes after shooting an 80. Katie O’Donnell was tied for 36th at 11-over.

Texas State’s Linn Gustafsson finished at even par to finish the day as the individual leader. McNeese State’s Lacy McKinley was tied with second with Watkins.

The second round of the conference tournament will be Tuesday with round three on Wednesday. 

Day One Team Totals

1.  Texas State – 300

2.  A&M-Corpus Christi – 304

3.  Lamar – 305

4.  Sam Houston State – 306

5  Central Arkansas – 308

6.  McNeese State – 309

7.  UTSA – 312

8.  Nicholls State – 314

Individual Totals

1.  Linn Gustafsson, Texas State – 71

T2.  Ashley Watkins, A&M-Corpus Christi – 72

T2  Lacy McKinley, McNeese State – 72

T4  Landa Stewart, Sam Houston State – 73

T4  Melissa Fahey, A&M-Corpus Christi – 73

T6  Nicole Forshner, Central Arkansas – 74

T6  Laura Baker, UTSA – 74