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 ShopRite LPGA on Friday in Galloway, N.J.
Beck’s bogey-free, 8-under-par 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 6-under 65 at the Bay Course at Seaview Hotel & Golf Club.
Beck, 34, has been a professional since 2014 and just last year landed her first win in the United States at an Epson Tour event. Her 63 Friday marked her career-low round.
She birdied the par-3 15th, the par-4 16th and the par-5 18th holes to finish a stellar round, where she hit 15 of 18 greens in regulation and needed just 25 putts.
“It was going well today for sure,” Beck said of her putting. “I think the confidence that I had from the other day during the pro-am, making putts, reading the lines properly, helped me trusting that I could see the line even though the greens might be a little bumpy. And I’ve been working on the strokes, and I feel more comfortable than I used to before.
“… Yeah, again, I made a few 15-footers that I usually don’t make, so that’s why — it was nice to keep going and keep making birdies.”
Broch Estrup had an interesting afternoon round, making all seven of her birdies in an eight-hole stretch from Nos. 4-11. She hit just 6 of 14 fairways in regulation and she settled for par on the final seven holes, unable to tie Beck.
“It hit me on nine when I was — I had like, I don’t know, a 20-footer for eagle. Left myself like a three-footer for birdie and then I started shaking to be honest,” said Broch Estrup, who normally plays Europe. “… My biggest goal is to not get in my own way. I feel like I was definitely not striking it well today, but I just kept a smile on my face and took the good bounces.”
Chacon is a 24-year-old rookie making her eighth start of the season. She missed the cut in five of her first seven starts and has yet to finish better than T60; her 65, which featured an eagle 2 at No. 16, was easily the best round of her LPGA career.
“Second shot I had about 136 to the pin,” Chacon said of her eagle. “You know, it was blowing a little into the wind and my caddie, Heath, and I decided that we’re going to do like a little cut 9-iron, but kind of like a little chip shot. So like a three-quarter cutty 9-iron, if that makes since.
“Luckily hit the shot really good and had a nice baby fade and came down next to the pin and just scooted back into the pin, spun back in.”
Soo Bin Joo of South Korea and Celine Boutier of France are tied at 5-under 66. Boutier, the only past major winner in the top seven, previously won this tournament in 2021.
“I feel like it’s a good course. I feel very comfortable on it,” Boutier said. “I think it’s very pretty with the views. And then it gets pretty windy, so I kind of like that challenge as well. I think it can be scorable if you’re hitting good shots, so I think it’s fair that way.”
Defending champion Jennifer Kupcho struggled Friday, shooting 3-over 74. There will be a 36-hole cut after Saturday’s round.
