Szokol and Ilhee Lee were just heating up, setting the bar high through the first round of the LPGA Classic. Each posted the same score of 8-under 62, tying for first-round lead. Szokol, 30, started her day in a flurry, making birdies on the first five holes to get within one stroke of the lead. Her clean rip also foreshadowed a day in which both players would completely dominate the course.
Though Szokol’s first round featured a bogey on the sixth hole, she didn’t let her loss of momentum linger. As her compatriots will tell you, the American golfer rose to stardom this past March. She paired with Cheyenne Knight to capture the 2023 Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, her first career tour victory.
Further down the leaderboard, Ilhee Lee was having an amazing morning round, carding four straight birdies on 3-5, and 8-10, and 16-18. The 36-year-old South Korean golfer clearly had the course under her control, as she carded just one bogey on her entire round. Lee, 25, last won in 2013 at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic. She’s ready to go get more trophies and shine some more light on her stellar career.
I just play golf. I just come out, have fun. That’s all I do, Lee remarked after her strong showing.
Rounding out Szokol and Lee on the top of the leaderboard is Akie Iwai, who is in third place after a round of 65. Iwai expressed her thoughts on the tournament format, stating, “Normally four days, so I feel fast, shorter tournament. That’s why we must make a lot of birdies.”
Defending champ Linnea Strom did not get in her groove. She closed with par on her 72nd stroke to make 72 her final number. Just ask Maja Stark, who recently conquered the U.S. Women’s Open. Although she had a hard time on the course, she still came in with a score of 70.
As the tournament progresses into the weekend, Szokol expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming rounds. “Happy to get off to a great start and really looking forward to the weekend.”
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