Grinnell is superb early at NCAA D-III Women's Golf Nationals, grabs early lead before play is suspended

Kavya Keshav is among individual leaders

Day 1 Results

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - Though there is a way to go, the Grinnell College women's golf team has proved itself to be a strong contender at the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The 30th-ranked Pioneers are currently leading the field in a round that was delayed due to rain and suspended due to darkness Tuesday at Kingsmill Resort. The rain delay began at 10:25 a.m. Eastern time and lasted nearly five hours.

Grinnell is 8-over-par with its athletes having golfed between 12 and 14 holes. Highlighting the field is Kavya Keshav '26, who is tied with two other golfers for the early lead in the 175-competitor field at 1-under-par.

Keshav fired a 1-under-par 34 through the opening nine holes, posting birdies on Nos. 6 and 8. She followed with pars on holes 10, 11 and 12 before play was suspended.

Vidushi Keni '26 and Amy Nguyen '26 are both at 2-over-par. Each tallied 36s on the front nine, with Keni's total including a birdie. On the back nine, Nguyen had a birdie and two bogeys while Keni added two pars and a bogey.

Close behind are Emily Lackershire '27 and Mary Li '28, who are at plus-5 and 10, respectively. Lackershire had a 40 through nine holes and added a birdie, bogey and two pars on the back nine. Li had a 41 on the front nine, including a birdie, and followed with two bogeys, a double-bogey and birdie.

The team field is packed at the top, with 16th-ranked Middlebury one shot behind Grinnell, second-ranked Emory two back and top-ranked Carnegie Mellon three back.

The NCAA DivisionIII Women's Golf Championship Committee decided to suspend play due to darkness and pick up action early Wednesday, with hopes of all teams having completed 36 holes at day's end in order to have a 36-hole cut.

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