Kathryn Fowler of Americus sits in sixth place at 76, while four players are tied for seventh at 77 - Emily Stallings of Fayetteville, Sarah Butts of Carrollton, first-flight competitor Kayla Jones of Alpharetta and second-flight leader Kaylee Random of Alpharetta.
Barbee, a rising junior on the Boston College golf team, posted five birdies and five bogeys for her even-par 72. She began her round with a par on No. 1, but then posted four birdies and four bogeys over the next eight holes to remain even at the turn. She added another bogey (11) and birdie (15) on the back nine.
Kaley Branton, a Cass High and Troy State (Ala.) graduate, shot a 75 in the first round. She and Barbee, a Woodland High grad, are competing in the championship flight.
The field of 58 players is divided into six flights based on handicap index. The championship through second flights are playing from the same tees (5,992 yards, par 72) and are eligible for the overall championship. The third through fifth flights are playing the course as a par-72 from 5,373 yards. Entries were open to female amateur golfers who are members of a GSGA Member Club.
Other flight leaders include Ellen MacArthur of Cumming in the third (76), Janet Thielemann of Woodstock in the fourth (79) and Betty Rich of Villa Rica in the fifth (86).
Second-round competition begins Tuesday with players teeing off at 10 a.m. from the 1st and 10th tees. Barbee will tee off from No. 10 at 10:30 a.m. Branton tees off from No. 10 as well, 10 minutes earlier.
-- Information from the Georgia State Golf Association used in this article.