FRANKLIN, Tenn. – Brooke Sansom didn't play in the Mason Rudolph Championship last year, but you wouldn't have known it by her play Friday. The sophomore came out sizzling in the first round with an eagle on the fourth hole followed by two more birdies on the front nine.
Sansom finished the day with a 70 (-2) and is currently tied for fourth overall on the individual leaderboard. It's the fifth round below par for Sansom in her Auburn career.
"Brooke had a solid round day today," associate head coach Andrew Pratt said. "She chipped in for eagle on No. 4, which was a great three on that hole, and made a couple key putts. I know she's disappointed with how she finished, bogeying two of her last four holes there, but I think she'll come out tomorrow and really be trying to get back into that same mindset that she was into those first 14 holes or so."
As a team, the 13th-ranked Tigers shot a 294 (+6) at the Vanderbilt Legends Club – North Course (Par 72, 6,460 yards) and are currently in 10th place after one round.
Freshman Megan Schofill, coming off a strong debut at the Cougar Classic earlier this month, made two birdies on the back nine and finished with a 74 (+2) to put her in a tie for 32nd overall.
Junior Kaleigh Telfer and senior Elena Hualde Zúñiga each shot a 3-over 75 on Friday. Telfer knocked in three birdies for the round while Zúñiga had two of her own. The duo is tied for 42nd on the player leaderboard.
Rounding out the Auburn contingent was junior Mychael O'Berry who is in a tie for 51st overall after carding a 76 (+4) in round one.
Vanderbilt and Houston share the lead at 1-under par (287), followed by UCF (288), North Carolina (288), Charlotte (289), Clemson (291), Mississippi State (291), Chattanooga (292), Mercer (293), Auburn (294), Northwestern (300), Missouri (301), Middle Tennessee (302), Louisville (303) and Florida Atlantic (306).
Auburn will begin the second round from the 10th hole at 8:45 a.m. CT on Saturday. The Tigers will be paired with Northwestern and Missouri. Live scoring can be found on Golfstat.com.
Team Standings
T1. Vanderbilt -- 287 (-1)
T1. Houston -- 287 (-1)
T3. UCF -- 288 (E)
T3. North Carolina -- 288 (E)
5. Charlotte -- 289 (+1)
T6. Clemson -- 291 (+1)
T6. Mississippi State -- 291 (+3)
8. Chattanooga -- 292 (+4)
9. Mercer -- 293 (+5)
10. Auburn -- 294 (+6)
11. Northwestern -- 300 (+12)
12. Missouri -- 301 (+13)
13. Middle Tennessee -- 302 (+14)
14. Louisville -- 303 (+15)
15. Florida Atlantic -- 306 (+18)
Auburn Individuals
T4. Brooke Sansom -- 70 (-2)
T32. Megan Schofill -- 74 (+2)
T42. Kaleigh Telfer -- 75 (+3)
T42. Elena Hualde Zúñiga -- 75 (+3)
T51. Mychael O'Berry -- 76 (+4)