By LPGA Tour
Three newly formed duos weathered the challenging alternate-shot format Thursday to share the first-round lead at the Dow Championship.
The pairings of Hira Naveed and Gurleen Kaur, Gemma Dryburgh and Nicole Broch Estrup, and rookies Michelle Zhang and Camille Boyd each carded a 3-under-par 67 on the par-70 layout at Midland Country Club.
In a tournament format known for punishing mistakes, the co-leaders navigated the traditional foursomes opening round by leaning on their chemistry.
Dryburgh and Broch Estrup took the early clubhouse lead at Midland Country Club, celebrated a pair of personal milestones on the course. Dryburgh, celebrating her 33rd birthday, and Broch Estrup are both new mothers to infant sons born in 2025. Playing together for the first time, the duo combined for five birdies and two bogeys to match the 3-under pace.
They were joined by Zhang and Boyd at the top of the leaderboard. Self-dubbed “The Baddies,” the two LPGA Tour rookies used an aggressive approach to jump to 3-under through their first seven holes. Despite a turbulent front-nine that included a bogey on the first hole, they bounced back with a crucial birdie on the fifth to regain their share of the lead.
The afternoon wave saw Naveed and Kaur, playing together for the first time, surged into the an early lead with four birdies against a single bogey. The performance marked the first time Naveed has held a share of the lead at any point in her LPGA Tour career. Kaur, a member of Team Dow receiving travel financial backing this season, provided steady support.
The three leading teams hold a narrow one-stroke advantage over a crowded leaderboard. Five teams sit just one shot back at 2-under-par 68, including the pairings of Leona Maguire and Lauren Duncan, and Linn Grant and Maja Stark.
The 72-hole team stroke-play event shifts to the more aggressive four-ball (best-ball) format on Friday, where low scores are expected to reshape the leaderboard before cutting to the final rounds.
