The Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic is underway, and Malia Nam holds the early lead after a strong opening round on the Epson Tour.
Nam set the pace at TPC Scottsdale, opening her round with a birdie on the par-3 12th. She followed it with an eagle on No. 13, as the quick start helped push her to the top the leaderboard.
"I mean the back nine was my front nine today so that birdie eagle was a really cool start," Nam said. "But I think the four birdies really showed that I was kind of locked in and you know just stuck to playing well."
For Nam, locking in paid off.
"Today I had some putts drop," she added. "I've been hitting the ball really well the last few weeks just kind of haven't put together a good score. Today I stuck to game plan with hitting fairways and hitting greens but just had some puts fall for me."
Nam stood out in a competitive field featuring LPGA hopefuls like Kaleiya Romero, Megan Schofill, and Valery Plata. Professional developmental circuit events like these serve as an opportunity for players to earn full LPGA Tour status.
The Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic sands one of the Epson Tour schedule's most significant stops. The tournament features a $400,000 purse — the largest in tour history. The winner additionally walks with $60,000 and 500 Race for the Card points.
Nam joined the Epson Tour in 2024 and is still seeking her first professional win. This makes her position atop the leaderboard especially notable.
Where to Watch the 2026 Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic
Lan tees off Friday morning with three rounds left to play, as focus shifts to maintaining her form.
Fans can follow along with live scoring via the tournament's leaderboard.
