MIDLAND, MI (6-11-26) — Three teams finished the opening round tied atop the leaderboard Thursday as the 2026 Dow Championship began at Midland Country Club, setting the stage for a tightly contested weekend in the LPGA Tour’s premier team event

The international pairing of Nicole Broch Estrup of Denmark and Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland battled back from an early setback to reach 3-under-par. After recording bogeys on holes 2 and 3, the duo responded with birdies on holes 5, 6, 11, 12 and 18 to move into a share of first place.

Joining them at 3-under were Michelle Zhang of China and Camille Boyd of the United States. The team carded birdies on holes 5, 7, 11, 12 and 16 while overcoming bogeys on holes 1 and 17 to remain among the leaders throughout the round.

The third team sharing the lead is Gurleen Kaur of the United States and Hira Naveed of Australia. Kaur and Naveed produced one of the steadiest rounds of the day, recording birdies on holes 4, 5, 13 and 17 while suffering their lone bogey on hole 12 to finish at 3-under-par.

Just one stroke behind the leaders, 11 teams are tied for third place at 2-under-par, including the pairing of Lindy Duncan (USA) and Leona Maguire (Ireland). With so many teams clustered near the top of the leaderboard, the championship remains wide open heading into Friday’s second round.

Among the tournament’s biggest attractions is World No. 1 Nelly Korda of the United States, who is competing alongside Olivia Cowan of Germany. The pair opened the tournament with an even-par round and are tied for 16th place. Despite sitting three shots off the lead, Korda remains well within striking distance with three rounds remaining and is expected to be among the contenders as the tournament progresses.

The Dow Championship is unique on the LPGA schedule, pairing golfers together in a four-day competition that emphasizes teamwork and strategy. The event annually attracts many of the world’s top players while bringing international attention to Midland and the Great Lakes Bay Region.

With only one round complete and numerous teams separated by just a few strokes, fans can expect significant movement on the leaderboard over the next three days as the battle for the championship continues through Sunday.

La Prensa Latina News Wire photographers are on-site throughout the tournament, providing daily coverage, photographs and updates from Midland Country Club.