The Georgia women’s golf team and junior Rinko Mitsunaga secured first-round leads on the team and individual leaderboards, respectively, in the Ladies Fall Intercollegiate Invitational at the Atlanta Athletic Club on Friday.

 
The Lady Bulldogs posted an 11-over 299 and owns a three-shot edge over Louisville. Mitsunaga’s even-par 72 placed her in a tie for the top spot with Malene Krolboll Hansen of Coastal Carolina.
 
 
In addition to Mitsunaga’s 72, the Bulldogs also counted a 73 from Gabriela Coello, a 75 from Jillian Hollis and a 79 from Paula Neira Garcia. Also for Georgia, Isabella Skinner posted an 80. Stephanie Carras and Elisa Yang, who are competing as individuals, both shot 82.
 
 
Overall, Coello is tied for third, Hollis is tied for eighth, Neira Garcia is tied for 27th, Skinner is tied for 33rd and Carras and Yang are tied for 45th.
 
 
CLICK HERE for the full results and the team as well as the individual leaderboards from Friday’s round.
 
 
“It was a very good start for both the team and Rinko and Gaby, individually” head coach Josh Brewer said. “It’s the first time we’ve had a lead this year so it will be nice to sleep on that and hopefully we’ll repeat that the next two days.”
 
 
Mitsunaga, a native of Roswell, Ga., whose home is approximately 15 minutes from the Athletic Club, enjoyed a very steady day. In addition to 14 pars, Mitsunaga notched two birdies (at No. 2 and No. 10) and a pair of bogeys (at No. 2 and No. 9).
 
 
“Rinko has a very Rinko-like day,” Brewer said. “She was just very consistent and hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens. It was a really solid round of golf and her U.S. Open experience probably helped her today on a demanding, professional championship golf course. You have to be really smart and sometimes except 20 feet instead of trying to hit it to a foot, much like a U.S. Open Course would play”
 
 
The Atlanta Athletic Club has hosted five professional majors (the 1976 U.S. Open; the 1981, 2001 and 2011 PGA Championships; and the 1990 U.S. Women’s Open) as well as the 2014 U.S. Amateur.
 
 
Play continues through Sunday. On Saturday, the Bulldogs will be paired with Louisville and Illinois. CLICK HERE for live scoring of the tournament.