RIO VERDE, Ariz. - Caroline Boone fired a career-best even par 72 Friday (Feb. 26) to lead the Missouri State women's golf team at its spring opener, the Rio Verde Invitational in Rio Verde, Ariz. The Bears are competing in the tournament for the 13th consecutive time, this year being played on the White Wing Course at Rio Verde Country Club.

The Bears struggled as a team in the first round, shooting 306, which has them in a tie for 11th in the 18-team field, but just eight shots behind co-leaders Bradley and Toledo in the tightly-bunched field. The co-leaders posted 298, while the next six teams all are within four strokes of the lead.

Boone, a junior from Wynne, Ark., is just a stroke off the pace and tied for fourth in the medalist race. Sophomore Stine Pettersen recovered from a triple bogey on her first hole to shoot 75 for MSU and is tied for 19th. Sophomore Verena Gimmy carded 78, while freshman Ashley Childers posted 81 and senior Megan Furnish had 87. Junior Kiersten Prater shot 91 while playing as an individual.

Saturday's second round is scheduled for an 8:30 a.m. Mountain time shotgun start.

Rio Verde Invitational Results