Destin, Florida  - The No. 16 Trinity Women's Golf team wrapped up its opening round of the Golfweek October Classic, sitting in sixth place.
 
The Tigers began their campaign with a nineteen-over-par 307, just seven shots behind leaders Grinnell and Williams College. The Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort proved challenging for the whole field with just two players under par; however, Trinity displayed their discipline, carding 58 pars - the second-most in the field. With two rounds remaining, the Tigers will look to build on last week's impressive showing at the Carla Spenkoch Invitational and begin to climb the leaderboard. 
 
Jessica Mason (Westminster, Colo. / Holy Family) led the Tigers with an impressive two-over-par 74, carding 3 birdies and 11 pars. Back-to-back birdies following a rare double bogey highlighted her impressive mental strength, lifting her to T-8. 
 
Mason Fikes (Dallas, Texas / Plano West) continued her impressive form, shooting a five-over-par 77, despite the narrow hazard-lined Sandestin course. Her sharp iron play helped her to go one-under-par on the par threes, following the team's noteworthy 3.00 average on par- 3's - tied for third-best in the tournament. Her efforts led to a T-25 finish, keeping Trinity in a strong position. 
 
Naaz Mehta (Newton, Pa. / Council Rock North) carded a 6-over-par 78 leading her to a T-37 finish. A clutch birdie reflected the Tigers' persistence and growing confidence. Natalie Lewis (El Paso, Texas / Coronado) matched her teammate with a solid six-over-par 78 on the opening day, with a notable one-over-par 37 on the front nine showing her ability to manage the course. The back-nine played tougher for most of the field, highlighting the strong effort from Lewis to post an important score. 
 
Lauren Huddleston (Anthem, Ariz. / Boulder Creek) also carded a six-over-par 78 on the opening day, showing the depth and consistency of the Tigers. A flawless front-nine even-par 36 left Huddleston well-positioned to handle the imposing back nine, with clever course management allowing her to card an eventual 78. 
 
Looking ahead 
 
Trinity has left itself in a strong position entering the final two rounds, following golf's golden rule: you can't win on day one but you can lose it. The Tigers will need to maintain their consistent performance and show off their attacking style to climb atop a competitive Division III field over the next two days.