SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The Pepperdine women's golf team got things underway on Friday at the NCAA Championships and the Waves finished the first round in 19^th place.
 
On a windy afternoon, the Waves shot an opening 295 at the par-72 Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club.  It's 16 shots off the lead, but more importantly, seven shots back of eighth place.  The Waves outperformed the teams they were paired with throughout the day, however, as Ole Miss is in 25^th after posting a 300 and Vanderbilt is tied for 29^th with a 305.
 
The top 15 teams will advance after Sunday's third round, and the top teams after Monday's fourth round will qualify for match play.  This is the 13^th time Pepperdine has made the NCAA finals and first time since the 2017 campaign.
 
PLAYER SCORES

• Senior Reese Guzman (Kahului, Hawai'i) is tied for 36^th with an even 72 in the first round.  She marked four birdies throughout the day, within a stretch of 14 flawless holes from the 12^th to the seventh.
• Sophomore Lauren Gomez (Murrieta, Calif.) had an impressive first nine, posting two birdies without a single bogey until her 10^th hole played.  She ended the round tied for 66^th with a 4-over 74.
• Freshman Jeneath Wong (Melbourne, Australia) is also tied for 66^th with a 74.  She had two birdies, one on each the front and back nine.
• Junior Lion Higo (Gold Coast, Australia) is tied for 90^th with a 75 today.  She had an eagle on the par-five seventh hole and also birdied the third.
• Junior Kaleiya Romero (San Jose, Calif.) is tied for 117^th with a 5-over 77.  She birdied the 11^th hole and the final hole of the day, the ninth.

 
UP NEXT
Pepperdine will be paired with Vanderbilt and Ole Miss once again for the second round tomorrow, though this time the Waves will tee off the first hole beginning at 8 a.m.
 
THE NUMBERS
Team Standings: 1. Wake Forest 279; 2. Oklahoma State 280; T3. Georgia 286; T3. South Carolina 286; T5. New Mexico 287; T5. Texas A&M 287; T7. Duke 288; T7. Florida State 288; T7. Stanford 288; 10. Baylor 289; T11. SMU 291; T11. Texas Tech 291; T13. Texas 292; T13. San Jose State 292; T13. Arizona 292; T16. Michigan State 293; T16. TCU 293; 18. LSU 294; 19. Pepperdine 296; T20. August 296; T20. USC 296; 22. Oregon State 297; 23. Virginia 298; 24. Clemson 299; 25. Ole Miss 300; T26. Mississippi State 301; T26. Tulsa 301; 28. Northwestern 303; T29. Vanderbilt 305; T29. North Carolina State.
 
Individual Leaders: 1. Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (Oklahoma State) 66; 2. Lauren Walsh (Wake Forest) 67; T3. Shannon Tan (Texas Tech) 68; T3. Megha Ganne (Stanford) 68; T3. Lucia Lopez-Ortega (San Jose State) 68; T3. Rina Tatematsu (Oklahoma State) 68; T7. Adela Cernousek (Texas A&M) 68; T7. Blanca Fernandez Garcia-Pogg (Texas A&M) 68; T7. Pimmada Wongthanavimok (Arizona) 68; T10. 12 players tied.