BOULDER CITY, Nev. – The No. 46 Colorado Mesa women's golf team opened the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships on Sunday (Apr. 23) at Boulder Creek Golf Club on the Desert Course. The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic bid into the NCAA Regional Tournament.
 
The Mavericks are in good position after the first round as they are currently second after a 12-over, 300 in their round. They are eight shots back of No. 49 CSU Pueblo who leads the tournament after a 4-over, 292.
 
They were two shots better than Regis in third and five better than UCCS in fourth.
 
Senior Elly Walters is in a tie for second place after shooting a near flawless round with a 1-uner, 71 in her opening round. She played even par in her first nine with a birdie on No. 5 and a bogey on No. 9 as she went on to play the back to a 1-under, 71 with a birdie on No. 12.
 
Walters is attempting to match her sister, Taylor, as a individual RMAC Tournament Champion. Taylor Walters won the RMAC Individual Medalist honor in the 2016 Championships.
 
Brittlynn O'Dell finished as the Mavericks No. 2 golfer after a 2-over, 74 in her first round. She started her round out red hot as she was 3-under after four holes. She is currently in a tie for 10^th on the individual leaderboard.
 
UCCS' Emily Shimkus leads the tournament after a first round of 2-under, 70.
 
The Mavericks were unranked in this week's NCAA Regional Rankings and will likely need to win the RMAC Championships to earn a trip to the NCAA Regional Tournament.
 
Colorado Mesa is scheduled to tee off at 11:00am mountain tomorrow.