Feb. 22, 2008

GAINESVILLE, FLA. -

Tar Heel golfer Sydney Crane fired a four-under-par 66 to grab the first-round lead of the SunTrust Lady Gator Invitational. Crane's round of 66, the low score of her collegiate career, featured five birdies and one bogey. Crane, a native of Jamestown, N.C., holds a three-stroke advantage over Florida's Tiffany Chudy and Louisville's Cindy LaCrosse.

"I really focused on the greens this year because we came here last year and I didn't do so well," says Crane. "I had to really be accurate because of the narrow fairways and just put myself in good position."

The Tar Heels are in third place after the first round of play with a 12-over 292 total. Florida leads the field of 15 teams after firing an even par 280. Louisville is two strokes in front of the Tar Heels at 10-over 290. Mississippi is in fourth place at 13-over 293, one stroke behind Carolina. Georgia State is fifth at 299, Wake Forest is sixth at 301 and Augusta State is seventh at 305.

For the Tar Heels, Lauren Hunt, a junior from Little River, S.C., fired a two-over 72 and is tied for 11th place. Seniors Ann Laney, from Charlotte, N.C., and Colette Lowe, from Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., both fired a seven-over 77 and are tied for 35th place while Kate Thomas shot an 82 and is tied for 69th place.

The 54-hole event continues through Sunday at the Mark Bostick Golf Course at the University of Florida, a par 70, 5,907-yard layout. Live scoring is available on Golfstat.com