LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Cal State Fullerton junior Tisha Alyn Abrea shot a school single-round record 69 and was joined by freshman teammate Martina Edberg in the top three on Monday morning to close out the first day of play at the 14th annual Price's "Give 'Em Five" Intercollegiate Tournament hosted by New Mexico State in Las Cruces, N.M.
With a 5-over-par 293 after round one, Fullerton is tied for third with Nevada in a tightly-bunched group atop the leader board, just three shots back of day-one leader UC Irvine (290) and four shots ahead of fifth-place Cincinnati (297). The Titans' total is tied for the second-lowest single-round score in school history alongside their final-round performance at their own Folino Invitational last season and just four off the school record of 289 set in 2012.
Abrea, the reigning Big West Conference Golfer of the Month for September, becomes the first Titan to break 70 since the program was reinstated in 2009-10, shading the previous record held by Taylor Fowler (three times) and Edberg. The junior from Murrieta, Calif., is 3-under after 18 holes, just one shot off the pace of individual leader A Ram Choi of Portland State, who shot an opening round 68 (-4) to lead the pack.
Starting the day on hole seven, Abrea finished with four birdies on the back nine of the New Mexico State Golf Course before a bogey on No. 3 dropped her to 3-under.
Not to be outdone, Edberg matched her career-best with a 2-under-par 70 on Monday to stand in a four-way tie for third. In only her third tournament at the Division I level, Edberg now has back-to-back rounds at par or better after shooting a 70 to close out the Rose City Collegiate event last week.
The freshman from Sweden began with a birdie on the par-5 eighth before a bogey on 13 put her at even par for the day. Edberg then finished strong with three birdies and a bogey over the final 11 holes.
Junior Seri Lee had an up-and-down day, bogeying three of her first five holes before closing her round on a high note with a birdie on eight to finish with a 4-over-par 76 for the day and a tie for 34th. Junior Makayla Mier is in a tie for 47th at 6-over (78) while junior Kate Cho is tied for 64th at 9-over (81).
Sophomore Dakota Brown, competing as an individual, also shot an opening-round 81 and is in a tie for 64th.
Day two of the tournament begins on Tuesday morning (Oct. 8) with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. (MT).
NOTES: Abrea's 69 on Monday marked her fifth career round at par or better, moving her into second place on the all-time list behind Fowler (6)… Abrea and Edberg each tallied their second rounds at par or better this season -- tied for second-most in a single-season behind Seri Lee's four rounds set last year…
2013 Price's "Give 'Em Five" Intercollegiate
New Mexico State University Golf Course • Las Cruces, N.M. • Par 72
Team… 293 (+5, T3rd)
2. Tisha Alyn Abrea… 69 (-3)
t3. Martina Edberg… 70 (-2)
t34. Seri Lee… 76 (+4)
t47. Makayla Mier… 78 (+6)
t64. Kate Cho… 81 (+9)
t64. Dakota Brown*… 81 (+9)
* denotes competing as an individual