SAN DIEGO, Calif. --- In the team's first event since the COVID-19 shutdown, Biola Women's Golf did not have trouble returning to action as they took on day one of the Eagle Invitational at the Grand. Head Coach Jane Carr is excited to be back in action, "It is great to be back competing. We have a young team with three new freshmen this year, but the two representing our team this tournament were very impressive."

The Biola Eagles finished the first round in first place with a team score of 305, followed closely by Point Loma with a team score of 307. If ending day one in first place was not enough, the Eagles' day one results come with two top-10 scores and each athlete with a score of 80 or better for the entire team. 

Brady Turnquist (71) and Sophia Karnazes (76) both had top-10 starts on the par-72 course at the Grand Golf Club. Turnquist set herself up for success with four-straight birdies and four par putts to wrap up the front nine and start hole ten at three under par. 

Coach Carr notes that Brady has quite the power off the tee, but it was Brady's putter that kept her hot today. "Four birdies in a row out of a freshman in her first collegiate tournament is quite impressive," said Coach Carr. 

The freshman sits in first place overall through 18 holes.

Karnazes also had a strong front nine, shooting a 38 after recording three par putts and two birdies in the front nine after she qualified in the number one spot for the first time in her collegiate career. A strong offseason has Karnazes turning heads as she continues to play her own game. 

"Her presence and maturity on the course is inspiring to our freshmen. She is going to be a player to contend with this spring," said Coach Carr. Karnazes will start day two of play in seventh place.


Sami Penor (79) and Mary Grace Davidson (79) finished the day strong as they walked off the course placing themselves in the top-15, followed closely by Rachel Reynolds (80) who is tied for 16th place in a 41-player pool. 

Coach Carr couldn't be pleased more with four rounds in the 70's after a last minute lineup shuffle. "Our players are resilient and they have such great synergy with each other. They want to play well for each other and I love that about them."

Jessica Cornelius (88) is also competing in the Eagle Invitational as an individual for Biola. Like Turnquist, Cornelius made her collegiate debut on Monday.
 
The Eagles will return to the Grand Golf Club on Tuesday for the second round of the Eagle Invitational. Turnquist and Karnazes will be the first Eagles to tee-off, with a 9:50 a.m. start time booked. Follow the tournament live at http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=21700.