MUSKOGEE, Okla. — The round's only individual under-par performance by Peerada Piddon has Arkansas Tech in first place after the first round of the NCAA Central Region Championships at the Muskogee Country Club. The Golden Suns carded a total of 299 (+15) and lead host Northeastern State by three strokes.
 
The championship consists of three total rounds. Due to unfavorable conditions in Wednesday's forecast, both the second and third rounds will be played tomorrow, Tuesday, May 7. The top four teams from the Central Region will advance to the national championship, taking place May 14-18 at the PGA National Resort and Spa in West Palm Beach, Fla. 
 
Piddon, who leads the individual field by two strokes, carded a one-under-par total of 70. 
 
Pia Nunbhakdi and Jacqueline Klemm also had Round 1 finishes in the top ten, as they both carded totals of 75 (+4) and are tied with four other golfers for sixth place.
 
Sydney Staton (79, +8, T27) and Allie Weiner (80, +9, T35) rounded out the Tech card.
 
Four other Great American Conference teams are also competing in the regional; Southwestern Oklahoma State (305, +21, third), Henderson State (318, +34, T8), Southern Nazarene (320, +36, T10), and Oklahoma Baptist (321, +37, 12^th). Southwestern Oklahoma entered the regional championships ranked No. 1 regionally, while Arkansas Tech was ranked No. 2, based on head-to-head competition. 
 
At last year's Central Region Championships, Arkansas Tech advanced to the national championships with their third-place finish, carding a total of 902. The Suns entered last year's national championships ranked at No. 24 in the nation, according to GolfStat. This year's team is currently ranked No. 9 in the nation. 
 
ROUND 1 TEAM RESULTS
 

POSITION	TEAM	ROUND 1 SCORE	+/-
1	Arkansas Tech	299	+15
2	Northeastern State	302	+18
3	SW Oklahoma	305	+21
4	Lindenwood	310	+26
T5	Central Oklahoma	312	+28
T5	Central Missouri	312	+28
7	Minnesota State	317	+33
T8	Nebraska-Kearney	318	+34
T8	Henderson State	318	+34
T10	Southern Nazarene	320	+36
T10	Missouri Western	320	+36
12	Oklahoma Baptist	321	+37

 
ROUND 1 INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
 

POSITION	PLAYER	SCHOOL	ROUND 1 SCORE	+/-
1	Peerada Piddon	Arkansas Tech	70	-1
2	Aitana Hernandez	Northeastern State	72	+1
3	Gloria Choi	SW Oklahoma	73	+2
T4	Luisa Gartmann	Henderson State	74	+3
T4	Nina Lee	Northeastern State	74	+3
T6	Jacqueline Klemm	Arkansas Tech	75	+4
T6	Pia Nunbhakdi	Arkansas Tech	75	+4
T27	Sydney Staton	Arkansas Tech	79	+8
T35	Allie Weiner	Arkansas Tech	80	+9