2023 West Texas A&M Desert Invite (Round 1)

TUCSON, Ariz. – After one round of the 2023 West Texas Desert Invite there is one Urban Knight chasing the top 10 on the leaderboard, as Academy of Art women's golf freshman Maddie Elias finds herself in a tie for 11th place after carding a 7-over-par 79 while ART U is in 19th as a squad with a combined 66-over-par 354. 

Sitting just four strokes off the lead, Elias was able to collect three birdies over the course of her round with two of them coming during the front nine on the third and sixth holes, helping her to sit at just 2-over before making the turn. Additionally, her three birdies were tied for third-most in the entire tournament field. Next up for Academy of Art is fellow freshman Nicole Yang, currently in a tie for 79th place at 16-over-par 88 with a single birdie on the 13th hole. Rounding out the scoring thus far is junior Tessa Geenen in a tie for 90th place at 19-over-par 91, while senior Jae Eun Park is in 102nd place after she turned a 24-over-par 96 and was one of just four to record an eagle (fourth hole). 

Sitting atop the team leaderboard through the first round is Cal State East Bay at 28-over-par 316, and the Pioneers hold just a two-stroke lead over second place and top Pacific West Conference finishing team Point Loma (30-over-par 318). Meanwhile, the individual leader comes from Colorado State-Pueblo in Minna Archer, who is 3-over-par 75 and has just a one-shot edge on three others that includes Alli Kim of the Sea Lions (4-over-par 76).

The final round of the West Texas A&M Desert Invite will tee off tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start.