Fortinet Founders Cup Round 1

Hyo Joo Kim delivered a masterclass in the opening round, carding a bogey-free 9-under par 63 to take a two-shot lead. Kim’s performance was highlighted by an extraordinary finish, where she went birdie-eagle on her final two holes—the first time she has achieved that specific closing sequence in her career of over 750 rounds. Her success was rooted in a flawless short game, requiring only 22 putts to navigate the Sharon Heights greens, the lowest mark in the field. Rookie Dongeun Lee sits in solo second at 7-under par after an impressive 65, marking her lowest professional round on the LPGA Tour to date. A trio of players, including Gemma Dryburgh, Polly Mack, and Jin Hee Im, share third place at 6-under par. While many of the favorites found their rhythm, defending champion Yealimi Noh struggled in her opening defense, carding a 7-over 79. Rose Zhang remained steady with a 1-under 71, finishing her round just hours after officially submitting her final paper for her degree.