GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Junior Audrey Ryu (-1) and sophomore Eva Ringwald (-1) each fired a 1-under 71 to tie for ninth to lead the Furman women's golf team (-1) Friday in the opening round of the 51st Annual Lady Paladin Invitational at the par-72, 6,331 yard Furman University Golf Course in Greenville, S.C.

The Paladins (-1) are in fourth place after the tournament's opening 18 holes, just five shots behind leader Alabama (-6), which is coached Mic Potter, the former Paladin head coach who was inducted into the Furman Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022.  High Point (-3) is three strokes back of Alabama in second place, while Florida Gulf Coast (-2) sits in third place in the 16-team field.   

A native of Dublin, Ohio, Ryu birdied No. 11 and No. 17 and parred 15 of her other 16 holes, while Ringwald tallied a team-high four birdies, with all four birdies coming in a five-hole span from No. 11 through No. 15.  The Paladin duo is four strokes back of leaders Ryan Flynn (-5) of Alabama and Jordan Fischer (-5) of Florida Gulf Coast, who each shot a 67 on Friday. 

Freshman Olivia Hasselbach (E) shot even par with an eagle on the par-5 No. 6 and birdies on No. 1 and No. 13 to tie for 16th, while sophomore Jenna Madden (+1) carded a 73 with three birdies, tying for 27th.  Freshman Ava Hanneman (+7) recorded a 79 with a birdie on No. 18 and is tied for 73rd entering Saturday's second round.  

Sophomore Andrea Marin Raga (+3), who is playing as an individual, posted a 75 with three birdies, including consecutive birdies on No. 5 and No. 6, and is tied for 44th, while junior Kelsi Mauzy (+7), who is also playing as an individual, is tied for 73rd after shooting a 79 with birdies on No. 6 and No. 13.  

Saturday's second round of the 54-hole tournament will begin with a 10 a.m. shotgun start.  Furman will tee off on No. 1 through No. 3 and will play in a group with Alabama, High Point, and Florida Gulf Coast.  The tournament will conclude on Sunday with a 9 a.m. shotgun start.

Admission to the tournament is free and fans are welcome.  Results and live tournament scoring are available via www.FurmanPaladins.com and https://scoreboard.clippd.com/tournaments/238774/scoring/team.

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4 Furman 287 -1
T9 Audrey Ryu 71 -1
T9 Eva Ringwald 71 -1
T16 Olivia Hasselbach 72 E
T27 Jenna Madden 73 +1
T44 Andrea Marin Raga* 75 +3
T73 Ava Hanneman 79 +7
T73 Kelsi Mauzy* 79 +7
*-playing as an individual