CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Lise Malherbe is in contention at the NCAA Division II South Super Regional after opening play with a two-over par 74 on Monday at Cleveland Country Club. With that score, the Lincoln Memorial University senior is in an eight-way tie for seventh place in the 66-player field. 
 
Malherbe started strong in Monday's round – the first of three to determine the participants for the national championship May 14-18 in West Palm Beach, Fla. The first-team All-South Atlantic Conference selection birdied her first hole of the day on the par-five first before giving a stroke back at the par-four fourth hole. Between that and for the next nine holes, Malherbe made nothing but pars to head into the 14th hole at even par for the round. 
 
However, Malherbe dropped a stroke with a bogey at the 14th and also bogeyed the par-three 17th hole to finish up the round at two-over par. 
 
Despite that, the Mount Juliet, Tenn., native is in contention to earn one of four individual slots for the national championship. Florida Tech's Lucy Eaton posted the round of the day with a four-under par 68, while Limestone's Pilar Martinez and Saint Leo's Isabel Nesteus shot two-under par 70s. Saint Leo's Synne Lauritzen was the only other player under par at one under for the day. 
 
Florida Tech is leading the South Super Regional in the team competition following an opening-round, six-over par 294, while Saint Leo is second at seven-over par, Nova Southeastern is third at nine-over par, and Florida Southern and Limestone are tied in fourth place at 10-over par. 
 
The top-four teams and the top-four players not affiliated with one of the top-four teams will advance to the national championship site. 
 
Malherbe will tee off in round two of the South Super Regional at 10:10 a.m. on Tuesday morning.