Irvine Valley golfer Nicole Rivera birdied her last two holes on El Prado's Chino Creek Course to post a 3 over par score of 76 in the first round of the Orange Empire Conference Finals on Monday.

Rivera increased her first-place lead in the conference indvidual standings over teammate Samantha Roberts to a season total of 14 strokes. 

She had two birdies, 12 pars, three bogeys and a double bogey on the day.

Roberts birdied the 18th hole to score a 6 over par 73. She remains 11 seasonal strokes ahead of the conference's third best player.

Roberts' round included two birdies, nine pars, six bogeys and a double bogey.

IVC player Tiffany Kane birdied the 18th hole and played the last five holes at even par.
Her score of 86 keeps her as the eighth best conference average and in line to join her teammates on the all-conference team.

Kane had one birdie, seven pars, seven bogeys, two double bogeys and a tripe bogey in her round.

The Conference Finals conclude Wednesday with a 10 a.m. tee time on the El Prado Chino Creek Course.