POOLER, Ga. – Defending champion Furman shot 10-over-par 298 to hold a three-shot lead over Chattanooga after Sunday’s first round of the Southern Conference Women’s Golf Championship at the par-72, 6,087-yard Savannah Quarters layout. The Paladins’ Alice Chen turned in a 1-under 71 for the only sub-par round of the day and is the first-round leader for the second straight year.

Due to the forecast of inclement weather Tuesday, the final 36 holes will be completed Monday with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.

Seeking its second straight title and 15th overall, 22nd-ranked Furman has three players in the top five. Chen, the 2015 SoCon Freshman of the Year and tournament runner-up, led with field with 14 pars and added three birdies to counter a double-bogey on the par-4 seventh hole. The sophomore from Princeton, N.J., has shot par or better in all four of her career rounds at the league championship.

She is followed in second by teammate Valentina Romero, who turned in a tournament-best five birdies and shot a 1-over 73, while Paladin freshman Haylee Harford shot a 3-over 75 to sit in a tie for fifth. Jacqueline Bendrick is tied for 13th at 7-over 79 to round out the Paladins’ scoring four.

Chattanooga is just three shots back of Furman at 13-over 301 on the day. The Mocs’ entire scoring four are inside the top seven, paced by freshman Monica San Juan, who is tied for third at 2-over 74. Megan Woods is a stroke back and tied for fifth, while Cris Perez and Emily McLennan, the 2014 SoCon medalist, are another stroke back at 4-over 76 and tied for seventh.

ETSU is third in the team race at 17-over 305 and boasts three players in the top seven. Linda Dobele is tied for third after a 74, and Vivienne Chin and Hee Ying Loy are tied for seventh at 76.

Samford is fourth with a team round of 319 and has freshmen Anna Buchanan and Emily Uhland involved in the six-way tie for seventh at 76.

Wofford follows in fifth place with a 324, followed by Mercer and Western Carolina in a tie for sixth after posting identical scores of 325. UNCG is eighth with a 331 and The Citadel rounds out the team scoring in ninth at 366.

Live stats can be found at www.golfstatresults.com and will be updated throughout Monday’s final two rounds. The winner of the SoCon Championship will earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA regionals.

2016 Southern Conference Women’s Golf Championship
Savannah Quarters
Par-72, 6,087 yards
Pooler, Ga.

Top 10 individuals
1. Alice Chen, Furman 71
2. Valentina Romero, Furman 73
T3. Monica San Juan, Chattanooga 74
T3. Linda Dobele, ETSU 74
T5. Megan Woods, Chattanooga 75
T5. Haylee Harford, Furman 75
T7. Anna Buchanan, Samford 76
T7. Emily Uhland, Samford 76
T7. Cristina Perez, Chattanooga 76
T7. Vivienne Chin, ETSU 76
T7. Emily McLennan, Chattanooga 76
T7. Hee Ying Loy, ETSU 76

Team standings
1. Furman 298
2. Chattanooga 301
3. ETSU 305
4. Samford 319
5. Wofford 324
T6. Mercer 325
T6. Western Carolina 325
8. UNCG 331
9. The Citadel 366

-www.SoConSports.com-