Mom Power: How Stress-Free Golf Put Gemma Dryburgh and Nicole Broch Estrup On Top

Alright, you golf fanatics, get ready! The first round of the Dow Championship just wrapped up, and we've got a seriously tight leaderboard. Three teams are sitting pretty, tied for the lead after a 3-under-par 67 on Thursday at Midland (Mich.) Country Club. But it's the story behind one of those leading duos, Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland and Nicole Broch Estrup of Denmark, that's got everyone buzzing. These two aren't just sinking putts, they're showing us all what "stress-free" golf really looks like, all thanks to a very special shared experience!

"Mom Power" Takes the Lead

Dryburgh and Broch Estrup came out absolutely firing in the foursomes format, which is considered the tougher of the two formats in this LPGA team event. They bagged five birdies, though they did hit a small snag with consecutive bogeys on Nos. 2-3 after a hot start with three birdies on the back nine. Still, a 67 is no joke. What's their secret sauce? Well, it turns out both these incredible athletes recently became mothers! "I think most of what we talked about was our sons today," Dryburgh shared, noting her son is a bit older than Broch Estrup's. Broch Estrup totally backed that up, saying, "And in general it gives another perspective on life. Especially this week is all about having fun, and playing with another mom is just, you know, we had a lot of fun today and, again, it was stress-free." Can you believe that? They're out there crushing it and having fun, talking about their kids. That's some serious perspective, and it clearly pays off!

Rookies on the Hunt and Vets Making Moves

Not to be outdone, two other teams are right there at 3-under 67, proving this tournament is wide open. We've got the rookie pairing of Camille Boyd, 23, and Michelle Zhang, 21, who also dropped five birdies against two bogeys. These two are both hunting for their first LPGA victories, and Zhang is hyped, saying, "I think it's just super exciting. We haven't had the best season this year so far, but just going out there we're always nervous. But kind of putting it into perspective this week. Hitting a bad shot, it's OK. Like I know Camille got me." That's the team spirit we love to see! Then there's Gurleen Kaur and Australia's Hira Naveed, another duo from the 2024 tour class looking for their maiden wins. Naveed gave props to Kaur for "holed some phenomenal putts," adding that their friendship and comfort with each other helped them pick each other up. And don't sleep on the nine teams at 2-under 68! That group includes the Iwai twin sisters, Sweden's Linn Grant and Maja Stark, and the Irish-American pairing of Leona Maguire and Lindy Duncan. Maguire's got serious team golf experience from the Solheim Cup and is hungry to snap a nearly two-year winless streak. Even 65-year-old World Golf Hall of Famer Juli Inkster, playing with Angel Yin, started strong with a 1-under 69. Could she become the oldest player to make the cut in an LPGA event? She almost did it last summer, so you know she's got that fire! World No. 1 Nelly Korda, already with two major wins this year, and her German partner Olivia Cowan, are sitting at even-par 70, alongside defending champions Somi Lee and Jin Hee Im. This is setting up for an insane weekend!

What's Next: Can the Moms Keep Their Cool?

Friday is all about four-ball, which is best ball format, so we're gonna see some aggressive play for sure. The pressure is on for everyone to keep that momentum going ahead of the 36-hole cut. Can Dryburgh and Broch Estrup continue their "stress-free" reign at the top? Will the rookie teams make their move? Or will Maguire, Inkster, or even Korda start to climb that leaderboard? You know we'll be watching every swing!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.