Golf

Beck goes low to lead LPGA, Aussie Porter fights on

By AAP Newswire

May 30, 2026

Australian Cassie Porter had one of the most eventful rounds of her LPGA career at Galloway. -AP

Laetitia Beck birdied five of her first nine holes and added three on the home stretch to set the pace at the first round of the LPGA in Galloway.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Beck's bogey-free, eight-under 63 earned her a one-shot lead over Denmark's Nicole Broch ‌Estrup.

Briana Chacon, Germany's Polly Mack and Thailand's Arpichaya Yubol were tied for third at six-under 65 at the Bay Course at Seaview Hotel & Golf Club.

Beck, the first Israeli player in LPGA history who last year picked up her first win on the developmental Epson Tour, took only 25 putts on a strong day on the greens.

She has been around for 12 years and yet to win on the LPGA or the Ladies European Tour. But she isn't about to let a career-low score get her thinking too far ahead.

"I was just able to make a lot of putts, didn't miss too many greens, few up-and-downs, and it felt easy," Beck said.

Australian Cassie Porter had one of the most eventful rounds of the day before finishing at two under for tied 17th.

Porter made par on just five holes on her way to shooting eight birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey.

Her birdies on the 17th and 18th put her back in the red and left her one ahead of compatriot Steph Kyriacou (70).

Kyriacou was level with Porter with three birdies and one bogey heading into the last, but dropped a shot at the 18th to fall into a tie of 31st.

The surprise was new mum Estrup, playing for the first time in 15 months while on maternity leave. Her son, Max, is approaching his first birthday and is with his mum this week.

"We're hopeful we can make it work as a family out here," she said.

The 33-year-old Dane last played on February 15, 2025, in the Saudi International on the Ladies European Tour.

Briana Chacon holed out from the 16th fairway for eagle - her seventh hole of the round - and was at 65 along with Arpichaya Yubol and Polly Mack.

Charley Hull, at No.7 the only player from the top 10 in the world who is playing this week, and defending champion Jennifer Kupcho each opened with 74.

The LPGA is one of the two scheduled 54-hole events on the LPGA Tour. This did not attract a strong field because of the scheduling, with the US Women's Open next week across the country in Los Angeles, held at Riviera for the first time.

Celine Boutier of France and Soo Bin Joo of South Korea were at 66, while Hye Jin Choi led a large group of players a 67.

with AAP