AUSTIN — Nikki Long is tied for sixth place and the UTSA women's golf team is in a tie for 10th after the opening day of the NCAA Austin Regional, which got underway Monday at the University of Texas Golf Club (par 72/6,341 yards).
Long fired a 2-under-par 70 to pace the Roadrunners, who are making their fourth NCAA postseason appearance in the last eight years. The senior from San Antonio is one of nine players in a tie for sixth and is just two shots off the pace of 4-under 68 set by Texas A&M Maddie Szeryk.
UTSA posted a 10-over 298 and is tied with 30th-ranked and No. 8 seed Miami with 36 holes remaining. The Roadrunners, whose best NCAA Regional finish was 16th in 2011, are just three shots behind No. 38 Texas A&M (295) and ahead of a quartet of ranked teams in the 18-team field, as No. 21 Miami and No. 48 East Carolina are knotted at 11-over 299 for 12th, while No. 25 Houston and No. 49 Texas Tech are two shots back in a tie for 14th (300).
"We started out pretty well but lost a few (shots) at the end," Conference USA Coach of the Year Summer Batiste said. "This is a course we're very familiar with. We play at the TPC (San Antonio) and it's almost the exact same (layout). A few putts didn't go in that I saw, but attitudes were good so I'm pretty excited for the next two days."
Long's 70 was highlighted by a trio of birdies against just one bogey. The two-time All-Conference USA performer wrote down a three on the 356-yard par-4 fourth and also had birdies on a pair of par fours on the back nine en route to a 34.
"Today was a really fun round," Long said. "It's the first time in a while that I felt like I wasn't grinding, just having fun and comfortable golf. This golf course is challenging but I think if you just hit to the middle of the greens and give yourself a putt at it, a couple will fall. That's kind of what happened today.
"As far as the team goes, the attitudes are great. I know we can play this golf course solid. We just (need to) go out tomorrow and stay confident, stay positive and see a couple more red numbers."
Ana Gonzalez recorded a 3-over 75 and is tied for 47th place. The freshman from Monterrey, Mexico, birdied the 526-yard, par-5 ninth to highlight her day.
Madison Kidd, a sophomore from Lake Jackson, Texas, is tied for 55th after shooting a 76 that featured birdie-fours on the ninth and 14th.
Becky McGeehan provided the other counting score with a 77 on the strength of 13 pars. The senior from Germany is tied for 70th.
Conference USA Individual Champion Julie Houston is tied for 87th (81) to round out the UTSA lineup.
No. 8 and second-seeded Texas leads the team standings after posting a 7-under 281. No. 3 and top-seed Arkansas is second (284), while No. 11 Michigan State (285), No. 35 Baylor (288) and Virginia Tech (288) finish out the top five. No. 14 Florida and No. 41 BYU are tied for sixth (291) and 19th-ranked Auburn is eighth (292).
The second round is slated to tee off on Tuesday morning. UTSA will start on No. 10 with tee times ranging from 8-8:40 a.m.
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