JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. – Teeing it up in just the seventh round of her collegiate career, UNC Pembroke golf freshman Maddy Corley (-2) was the lone player to card an under-par round in Saturday's first round of the Barton Invitational at Kiawah in which the average score was more than 13 strokes over par.

Corley, who has now carded a 75 or better in five of her seven-career rounds, logged six birdies on a day in which no other golfer in the field had more than three on the par-72, 5,845-yard Oak Point Golf Club course. The Charlotte native led the field in par-5 scoring (-3) in the opening round and tied for second in par-3 (E) and par-4 (+1) scoring.

Corley's two-under par 70 powered the Braves (+30) into fourth place in the 16-team field after 18 holes of the 36-hole tournament. The Black & Gold is just five shots off the lead that is shared by No. 14 Wingate (+25) and No. 13 Florida Southern (+25). Third-place Tusculum (+29) has a trio of players in the top 10 and is one shot ahead of UNCP. The Braves are the lone Peach Belt Conference team in the field.

Sophomore Casey Burroughs (+8) carded an eight-over 80 in Saturday's first round and shares 15th with six others in the 80-player field. Burroughs best finish this season is 58th at the LeeAnn Noble Memorial in October.

Senior Savannah Thompson (+11) used an opening-round 83 to close Saturday in a three-way tie for 32nd, while sophomore Katy Flax (+13) is one of 10 players tied for 41st that carded 85s in the first round. Junior Alexandria Bare (+15) is among a three-way tie for 57th after an 87 in the first round.

Corley will look to become the first UNCP golfer to win an individual title since Flax won the UNCP-hosted Sunoco Campbell Oil Classic March 27-28, 2017. Sunday's second and final round will be a shotgun start at 8 a.m.