NEED TO KNOW:
Piedmont Leader: 1st: Erin Donovan, 70 (-2)
As a Team: 1st of 8
Event Information: 8 teams; 34 golfers
The Course: Carolina Trace CC in Sanford, North Carolina (Par 72; 5,633 yards)

SANFORD, N.C. - Piedmont women's golf sits atop the team leaderboard after the first round of the USA South Women's Golf Championship, completed Monday afternoon in Sanford, North Carolina.

The Lions were led by senior standout Erin Donovan, as the 2024 USA South Conference Champion opened with a 2-under par 70. Donovan made 14 pars, to go along with three birdies and just one bogey on her round. Starting on hole 10, Donovan fired a 1-under 35 on the way out, and then made a pair of birdies coming home. Overall, she played her first 17 holes bogey free, but still leads on the individual side by four strokes and is the only player to break par during the first round.


 



Elsewhere, the Lions were helped to the top of the leaderboard by a pair of rounds in the 70's. USA South Rookie of the Year Lila Polakowski provided one of them, firing a 7-over 79. That number was matched by junior Keegan Goins, who tied Donovan for the team lead with three birdies on her round.

Freshman Addison Maney posted the team's fourth and final counting score, opening with an 84 while fellow freshman Zoe Shuttlesworth delivered a non-counting 93.

As a team, the Lions were 24-over in the first round, resting ahead of Huntingdon by two strokes, and ahead of third-place Methodist by 13.

On the individual side, just one golfer is closer than seven shots behind Donovan, as 2026 USA South Women's Golfer of the Year Sydney Richards from Southern Virginia sits at 2-over.

Up next, the Lions will look to hold steady on top of the leaderboard with tee times in the second round starting tomorrow morning at 9:25 a.m.

LIONS ON THE LEADERBOARD:
1st: Erin Donovan, 70 (-2)
T-7th: Lila Polakowski, 79 (+7)
T-7th: Keegan Goins, 79 (+7)
T-16th: Addison Maney, 84 (+12)
T-24t: Zoe Shuttlesworth, 93 (+21)

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- This mark's Donovan's third career par-or-better round at the USA South Women's Golf Championship.

HOW TO FOLLOW:
- To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont University Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on Twitter: @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, and Facebook. To follow each Piedmont athletic program on social media, use the Social Media Directory at PiedmontLions.com or click here.