Laetitia Beck has career-low 63 and
leads new mom Estrup by 1 shot at ShopRite LPGA
[May 30, 2026]
GALLOWAY, N.J. (AP) — Laetitia Beck rolled in a 6-foot birdie
on the final hole Friday for an 8-under 63, the lowest score of her
LPGA Tour career, giving her a one-shot lead over new mom Nicole
Broch Estrup of Denmark after one round of the ShopRite LPGA.
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.
The surprise was Broch 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 mom 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 Feb. 15, 2025, in the Saudi
International on the Ladies European Tour. The LPGA policy for
maternity leave allows for players to return to the same status for
up to two years after giving birth.
In her return, Broch Estrup made all seven birdies in an eight hole
stretch from the fourth hole through the 11th hole — three straight
birdies, a par, then four straight birdies.
“I got really nervous, especially on the second streak,” Broch
Estrup said. "It hit me on 9 when I had a 20-footer for eagle. Left
myself a 3-footer for birdie and then I started shaking, to be
honest. But having Max here and having Max in general just gives
another perspective."
“My biggest goal is to not get in my own way,” she said. “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. Yeah, so it was nice day
in many ways.”
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.
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Laetitia Beck tees off from the 4th hole during the first round of
the ShopRite LPGA Classic golf tournament, Friday, May 29, 2026, in
Galloway, N.J. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
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 ShopRite 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 U.S. Women's Open next week
across the country in Los Angeles, held at Riviera for the first
time.
Beck has been around for 12 years, and while she has not won on the
LPGA or the Ladies European Tour, she isn't about to let a
career-low score get her thinking too far ahead.
But this was good golf, missing only three fairways and seeing the
line on her putts just as clearly as she did during the pro-am round
on the Bay course at Seaview Hotel.
“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.
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.
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