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Kupcho made the turn at 2 under and shot a
bogey-free 4-under 31 on the back nine at Bradenton Country
Club. She won three times in 2022, including a major at the
Chevron Championship, and is winless since. Still, she feels
like last season was her most consistent.
“I think really last year I kind of fell in love with the game
more, so I think I’m just kind of like bringing that into this
year,” Kupcho said. “It's just a game, so really just trying to
enjoy it and have fun.”
Attitude was also key to Koerstz Madsen's strong 2025 debut.
“I think biggest key for me is to be good mentally out there,
just stay happy, not let the bad shots get too much to your
head, yeah,” she said.
Lauren Coughlin, a teammate of Kupcho on last year's winning
U.S. Solheim Cup squad, was one shot back along with Jin Hee Im
and Angel Yin.
“I think a lot of it is just what I’m doing is working in a
certain sense,” said Coughlin, a two-time winner in 2024. “There
are definitely still things I need to work on and get better,
but a lot of what I do in my full swing, like I’ve been able to
keep it strong for a really long time.”
Playing in her Gulf Coast hometown, top-ranked Nelly Korda
birdied the 18th hole and opened with a 68. She won a different
tournament at Bradenton Country Club last year, the first of her
seven wins in 2024.
“Actually it’s such a big golf community. I think Florida as a
as whole,” Korda said. “I mean, there is just so much more to
see here. You have beautiful Sarasota, Bradenton, Longboat Key,
Anna Maria Island. It’s kind of like a hidden gem.”
Major champions Celine Boutier, Jin Young Ko and Jeongeun Lee6
were among the group at 4 under.
Lexi Thompson, making her second start in two events this year
after announcing that she planned to play a reduced schedule,
opened with a 69 that might have been better if not for an
unlucky deflection off the flagstick on the par-4 13th hole.
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