PAWLEY'S ISLAND, S.C. – Campbell opened its 2026-27 women's golf season Sunday with the team's best round in four years.
The Camels fired a 6-under-par 278 and enter Monday's second round five shots behind High Point (273) in the 23-team Golfweek Fall Challenge field at Caledonia Golf & Fish Club.
Junior
Fanni Gronlund fired a collegiate low 4-under 67, while freshmen
Miah Rivas (68) and
Yukino Kudo (71) finished their first collegiate round even, or better, on the par-71 Mike Strantz design. Senior
Jade Potter finished the day at 1-over 72, while freshman
Louisa Bloomfield shot a 77.
In Val Patino's first round as Campbell's head coach, the Camels matched their best 18-hole score since posting a 6-under 278 on Sept. 13, 2022, in the same Golfweek event at Caledonia. The effort is tied for the sixth-best 18-hole score in the program's history.
Gronlund bettered her previous collegiate best score by two strokes Sunday. The junior from Kirkkonummi, Finland was 5-under through 11 holes and the only blemish on her scorecard was a bogey on the par-four 18th. Gronlund was 3-under on the par-3 holes Sunday, tied for best in the 120-golfer field. She made five birdies (T6) and was 2-under (T6) on the par-5 holes.
Rivas, who is playing her first collegiate event, matched Gronlund in both birdies and par-3 scoring. Kudo played the par-5 holes 2-under (T6th in the field) and made four birdies in her first time around the Strantz layout. Potter also was 2-under on the par fives.
As a team, the Camels tied for the lead in par-3 scoring (-3), were second in birdies (13) and T5th on the par-5 holes (-4).
High Point finished Sunday's play 11-under par. Campbell completed the day two strokes clear of third-place ETSU and four in front of four teams tied at 2-under 282.
Campbell will be paired with High Point, ETSU and Old Dominion for Monday's second round and start from the first tee at 9:20 a.m. Live scoring is available at
Golfstat.com. The 54-hole event concludes Tuesday.
Since 2012, Campbell has claimed seven team titles (2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024) in addition to a pair of runner-up finishes (2014, 2016) on the Mike Strantz designed Caledonia layout.
Golfweek Fall Challenge
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club | Pawley's Island, S.C.
Par 71, 6004 Yards | Sept. 6-8, 2026
First Round Team Results: 1. High Point 273,
2. Campbell 278, 3. East Tennessee State 280, T4. Old Dominion 282, T4. Austin Peay 282, T4. Troy 282, T4. Memphis 282, 8. Coastal Carolina 283, 9. UNC Wilmington 284, 10. Stetson 286, 11. Lipscomb 288, 12. UNC Greensboro 289, T13. Morehead State 291, T13. Radford 291, T15. Mercer 294, T15. Central Arkansas 294, 17. UNC Asheville 295, 18. Arkansas State 298, 19. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 299, 20. Presbyterian 302, 21. USC Upstate 304, T22. Stephen F. Austin 314, T22. Queens 314.
First Round Individual Leaders: T1. Manya Sani (Troy) 66, T1. Rachel Joyce (High Point) 66,
T3. Fanni Gronlund (Campbell) 67, T3. Maddie Smith (Memphis) 67, T3. Tylar Whiting (Mercer) 67.
Other Campbell Individuals: T6.
Miah Rivas 68, T24.
Yukino Kudo 71, T41.
Jade Potter 72, T89.
Louisa Bloomfield 77.
