RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico – Sophomore Haylee Harford (-2) fired an opening-round 70 to take a share of the individual lead and help the eighth-ranked Furman women’s golf team to the team lead following the opening round of the 2017 spring season Sunday at the 15th-annual Lady Puerto Rico Classic at the par-72, 6,164-yard Rio Mar Country Club River Course.

Harford, who hails from Leavittsburg, Ohio, birdied No. 3 and No. 5 then added consecutive birdies on No. 11 and No. 12 to conclude the round 2-under-par and tie for the individual lead with Maria Vesga of Baylor.

Senior Taylor Totland (-1) is just one stroke back of Harford, tied for third after scoring an opening-round 71 with birdies on No. 2 and No. 8. Freshman Natalie Srinivasan (+2) tied for 25th in the first round after birdieing No. 9 and recording a 74, while junior Alice Chen (+3) added a 75 with birdies on No. 5 and No. 13 to tie for 29th. Freshman Carly Burkhardt (+4) notched back-to-back-to-back birdies on holes 11 through 13 to tie for 35th at 76. Junior Reona Hirai (+1), who is playing as an individual, is tied for 17th. Hirai birdied No. 6 and No. 18 for an opening-round 73.

The Paladins (+2) hold a two-stroke lead over 41st-ranked Texas Tech (+4). No. 15 Kent State (+5) is third and 31st-ranked TCU (+6) and No. 6 Georgia (+6) are tied for fourth following one round of play.

The 54-hole tournament continues on Monday with an 8 a.m. shotgun start and will conclude with a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start on Tuesday. On Monday, Furman will tee off of holes one through four and will play in a group with Kent State and Texas Tech.