The leaderboard was stacked with crimson numbers and ties after the primary spherical of the 14th annual 4 Winds Invitational. The sector of 144 athletes took benefit of the cooler temperatures and pure circumstances at South Bend Nation Membership in spherical one of many ultimate leg within the Northeast Stretch.
Kaitlyn Papp Budde was the primary chief within the clubhouse of the day, posting a 5-under 67. Papp Budde began off sturdy, sinking 4 birdies on her opening 9. The Texas native settled into her spherical carding a 1-under 34 on the again 9 to tie her low spherical of the 2025 Epson Tour season.
Monet Chun adopted intently behind Papp Budde, tying her 5-under spherical of 67 to begin off the morning wave. Chun made six birdies and was bogey-free till her sixteenth gap, breaking her document for the bottom spherical in her skilled profession. The College of Michigan alumna is discovering her spark at no higher venue than in rival territory of South Bend, Ind., as she appears to be like ahead to persevering with a weekend of strong golf in hopes of securing the perfect end of her younger skilled profession.
Epson Tour sophomore Leah John had a quantity to chase by the point she teed off within the afternoon and began off sturdy with three consecutive birdies on holes one, two, and three. The Canadian continued her string with birdies on holes 5, six, seven, and 9 to shoot a 7-under 30 on her entrance 9.
“I had a really surprising starting to my spherical,” stated John. “I made a few putts at first, and I used to be like, ‘Hey, that is nice.’ After which it simply saved taking place and kind of felt prefer it was out of my management a bit of bit, nevertheless it was fairly thrilling. The women I used to be enjoying with had been tremendous good, so I might hold myself distracted simply chatting, nevertheless it was a reasonably epic day.”
John rounded the flip, making two pars earlier than sinking a birdie putt on the par-5 twelfth gap. The 25-year-old settled into her again 9 with 5 pars earlier than hitting the inexperienced on the par-5 18 in two to complete off her spherical with a birdie. The College of Nevada alumna carded a bogey-free spherical of 63, discovering herself on the prime of the leaderboard and leaving spherical one having tied the 18-hole event document alongside together with her new profession low spherical.
“I feel that’s the best half about golf, it’s about enjoying in opposition to your self and the golf course, so that you’re all the time striving for extra,” stated John. “It’s simply onerous. You by no means actually see your self nearly as good or a document individual, so it’ll be only a good factor to have in my pocket to recollect.”
