The leaderboard was a sea of red numbers after the first round of the 4th annual Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic. In a field of 137 athletes, the morning wave took advantage of the quieter winds and pure conditions at Wildhorse Golf Course in round one of the only Epson Tour event on the schedule to be played in the Pacific Northwest.

Amari Avery was the first leader in the clubhouse of the morning wave, posting a 7-under, 65. Avery started off strong, sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on her opening hole. The University of Southern California graduate continued her momentum, posting a solid opening nine of 5-under par. Avery settled into her round, carding a 2-under, 34 on the back nine to sit solo second.

Julia Gregg followed closely behind Avery, climbing to the top of the leaderboard, standing out in the afternoon wave as the course got increasingly more windy. Gregg made ten birdies, breaking the record for the lowest round in her entire life. The University of Arkansas alumna had a number to chase by the time she teed off in the afternoon and started off strong with back-to-back birdies on holes two and three. The Texas native continued her string with birdies on holes five, seven, eight, and nine to shoot a 6-under 30 on her front nine.

“I just pretty much blacked out inside of 15 feet today, said Gregg. The hole felt really, really big. And I just had really good reads. I read the greens really well today. And that was really it. I just played golf, I didn't think.”

Gregg rounded the turn, making a par on her tenth hole before sinking back-to-back birdie putts on her 11th and 12th holes of the day. The 24-year-old settled into her back nine with a handful of pars to finish off her round with a birdie on her 14th and 16th holes. The 2025 Epson Tour rookie carded a bogey-free round of 62, finding herself at the top of the leaderboard and leaving round one having tied the 18-hole tournament record.

“I was just thinking it's probably the best round of golf I've ever played in my life. Just feeling calm and actually finishing out a really good start. I feel like that's been a struggle in the past. So walking down those last three holes, I was like, just keep it going, hit it where you've been hitting it. Just feels really good to be able to finish it out,” expressed Gregg.

As the season is nearing the end, every player is tired both mentally and physically, but Gregg has her mom traveling with her, making the grind of professional so much easier as they continue to build their inseparable mother-daughter relationship. The University of Arkansas alumna is finding her spark at no better time of the season than in the last stretch, as she looks forward to continuing a weekend of solid golf in hopes of securing the best finish and first win of her young professional career.

Gregg emotionally discussed, “I love having (mom) travel with me; she's my best friend, so when she's with me, it just makes everything easier. She takes care of so much for me and handles everything, so I just have to play golf, and I don't have to worry about anything. So I love having her with me.”

Sophie Hausmann, Laney Frye, and Kayla Smith share third place after the opening 18 holes, four shots back of Gregg, who will look to hold her lead on Saturday. From there, the margin narrows, with five players all turning in rounds of 67 to sit one shot out of third place heading into round two. The second round will begin on Friday at 7:15 a.m. local time. Follow along with live scoring here.

Julia Gregg Ties 18-Hole Tournament Record at the Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic

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