Kiara Romero wasted no time making her mark as a professional on the LPGA tour. The 20-year-old shot a 6-under 64 in the first round of the CPKC Women's Open 2026 on Thursday. That put her just two strokes off the top of the LPGA leaderboard at Edmonton's Royal Mayfair Golf Club, as US favorite Nelly Korda pulled into 8th.
Kiara Romero Starts Strong in Professional Debut
Romero earned her LPGA Tour card through the Elite Amateur Pathway. She is only the second player to take that route, following Lottie Woad in 2025.
Still, the rookie looked right at home near the top of a stacked LPGA leaderboard. Japan's Miyu Yamashita currently holds the lead after logging an 8-under 62 on the tournament's opening day, with Nasa Hataoka one back at 63.
Nelly Korda Finishes Round 1 Tied for 8th Atop the LPGA Leaderboard
World No. 1 Nelly Korda, meanwhile, opened with a 3-under 67 to sit tied for eighth. Defending champion Brooke Henderson matched that mark in front of her home crowd as two Canadian amateurs also stood out among the tournament field. Anna Huang, 17, and Michelle Xing, 18, each carded 65 to share fourth place.
Scoring ran low across the board on Thursday at Royal Mayfair, but Romero's opening round drew the most attention. A 6-under start in her professional debut suggests the leap from amateur standout to LPGA contender is already well underway.
