The LPGA Tour ended its one week hiatus this morning as Gurleen Kaur struck the championship’s opening tee shot. It was a beautiful day just outside of Los Angeles, California at El Caballero Country Club. It’s the second year the tournament has been held at the club while the regular host, Wilshire Country Club undergoes a renovation.

Thursday’s opening round delivered no shortage of storylines, but none were louder than first-round leader Chizzie Iwai.

Iwai, ranked No. 20 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, carded seven birdies and an eagle on her way to a 9-under 63. Her round was highlighted by a blistering stretch from holes 11–16, her 2nd through 7th of the day, where she made four consecutive birdies before capping it off with an eagle at the par-5 16th. Her 9-under 63 is her lowest first round score of her career. She currently holds a 2-shot lead over Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit as she seeks her 2nd victory on tour.

Chizzy Iwai is tearing through El Cab 😵‍💫 pic.twitter.com/pOs0CrkRfC

— LPGA (@LPGA) April 16, 2026

While alone at the top for now, there are currently 35 players within five shots of the lead. One of those players is 16-year-old Aphrodite Deng.

Just two weeks removed from the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Aphrodite Deng fired a 4-under 68. This week’s championship marks the second start of Deng’s LPGA career, and her first outside of her native country of Canada. A steady round featuring controlled ball-striking and poise beyond her years has her firmly in contention early.

Ingrid Lindblad, the defending champion, opened with a 3-under 69, carding four birdies and one bogey. For Lindblad, though, this week is about more than defending her title. It’s about continuing to work through some recent challenges with the driver and rebuilding confidence off the tee. She opened up about struggling with the yips off the tee following a disappointing weekend at the HSBC Women’s Championship. It’s been a challenging start to the year for her, but returning to a place where she’s won before could help spark some positive momentum.

Title defender. Imperial Brand Ambassador Ingrid Lindblad opens play today at the JM Eagle LA Championship. pic.twitter.com/FQ3OEb2BIQ

— Imperial 1916 (@ImperialHats) April 16, 2026

With a crowded leaderboard and plenty of storylines already unfolding, Friday’s second round sets the stage for a pivotal day. Whether it’s Chizzie Iwai extending her lead, rising stars like Aphrodite Deng continuing to impress, or Ingrid Lindblad building momentum, all eyes will be on who can separate from the pack.