The 2026 Epson Tour season kicked off in thrilling fashion at the third annual Atlantic Beach Classic presented by Access Golf. The field of 120 athletes took advantage of the quiet winds and pristine conditions at Atlantic Beach Country Club. In round one of the first leg in the Florida Stretch, competitors produced a leaderboard filled with red numbers, ties, and standout performances.

Leading the way is rookie Lauren Clark, who was the first leader in the clubhouse of the day. The 22-year-old University of Kansas alumna fired a sparkling 6-under 66 to claim the early lead.

Reflecting on her surprising position at the top after her first official round as an Epson Tour member, she added with a mix of excitement and humility: "Welcome to the Epson Tour, it's such a cool thing. I tried to stay patient with no real expectations of leading; I just wanted to post the best score possible. I'll probably lose a little sleep tonight from the nerves, but I felt comfortable with how I attacked the course today. A few butterflies this morning carried over, and they'll stick around tonight. Let's see what tomorrow brings."

Clark started her professional Epson Tour journey with poise, overcoming early nerves to sink back-to-back birdies on holes six and seven. She capitalized on all four par-5s, showcasing sharp iron play and confidence around the greens.

"The wind switched from our practice rounds, which actually helped on some of the shorter approaches where I was less confident," Clark shared. "I felt really good with my wedges today and solid off the tee."

Keera Foocharoen followed closely behind Clark, closing her front nine at 5-under 30 to begin the afternoon wave. The Thailand native notched six birdies and was bogey-free until her 11th hole; however, due to early foggy conditions this morning, the first round was postponed due to darkness.

The Virginia Tech alumna is finding her spark at no better venue than the first event of the season in Atlantic Beach, Fla. She looks forward to continuing a weekend of solid golf in hopes of securing the best finish of her young professional career.

Right behind, in a tie for third at 3-under, are six players, including veteran Hira Naveed from Australia. Naveed electrified her round with a hole-in-one on the par-3 15th, which helped propel her to three additional birdies to round out her day on holes 18, two, and six.

"Feels great," Naveed exclaimed. "This is a tough track with some real teeth to it. I did my homework in practice rounds, focused on positioning, and it paid off today. I scrambled well, made key putts for birdies, and that ace was pretty cool."

The pack tightens quickly, with eight more athletes at 2-under, one shot outside the top three, setting up an intense battle heading into day two.

Clark will look to protect her one-shot lead on Friday when play resumes at 7:30 a.m. local time. The Atlantic Beach Classic continues to deliver drama and opportunity for these rising stars chasing LPGA dreams. Follow along with live scoring here.

Rookie Lauren Clark Leads Epson Tour Season Opener at Atlantic Beach Classic presented by Access Golf

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