Before play was suspended due to cold and snowy conditions, Maria Baena and Krissy Register shared the lead in the clubhouse with one other player after the first round Saturday of the 1996 Buckeye Invitational in Columbus, Ohio.

Arizona shot a first-round total of 313 to take an eight-stroke lead over tournament host Ohio State in the 15-team field. UA is in search of its third-straight title after victories at the Fairwood Invitational and the Rainbow Wahine Golf Invitational. Register won the individual title at the Rainbow, and Baena has claimed the top spot in both the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Classic and the Fairwood.

The tournament was scheduled to conclude yesterday, although the forecast in Columbus called for cloudy skies and a chance of snow showers with a high temperature of 35 degrees.

Register and Baena each shot a 4-over 76 on the 6,037-yard Scarlet Course. Erica Wicoff of Indiana also shot 76. Arizona's Christina Tolerton shot an 82, which was good for a tie for 17th, and Jamie Vannoy and Jeanne Anne Krizman each shot 83 to tie for 23rd.

Indiana is in third place at 322 and is followed by Purdue (331), Michigan State (333) and Michigan (335).