GALLOWAY, New Jersey — Laetitia Beck rolled in a 6-foot birdie on the final hole Friday (Saturday in Manila) 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.
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. AP
