United States Takes Commanding Lead on First Day of 2026 Women’s PGA Cup

The United States opened the 2026 Women’s PGA Cup with the strong start it envisioned on Thursday at Carden Park’s Cheshire course in Chester, England. The Americans posted a team total of 7-under (212) to lead by 12 over Great Britain and Ireland (224). South Africa is third at 225.

PGA of America Golf Professional Stephanie Connelly Eiswerth (Fleming Island, Fla.), a PGA Teaching Professional at San Jose Country Club, led the U.S. Team and shares the individual lead after carding a 3-under 70. South Africa’s Tandi Marina McCallum also shot 3-under 70.

The U.S. Team’s other top performers, Sandra Changkija (Daytona Beach, Fla.) and Kim Paez (Frisco, Texas), are tied for third after each carding a 2-under 71. Playing Captain Ashley Grier (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) is T-8 at 2-over 75. Allie Knight (Knoxville, Tenn.) is T-14 after shooting 4-over 77. The low three of five scores per team count toward the team total per round.

“I'm so proud of them,” said Grier. “Everybody played fantastic. Stephanie, Sandra and Kim all got it under par. Allie and I didn't quite have our best, but we scraped it around to hang in there. We're in a phenomenal spot leading with a decent sized lead, which is always a good place to be.”

Connelly Eiswerth, the 2024 medalist appearing in her third consecutive Women’s PGA Cup, started steady with a pair of pars on holes 1-2. After her lone front-nine bogey at the par-4 3rd, she “righted the ship” with birdies at the par-5 6th and par-4 7th.

“I felt like I started hitting it a little bit better and got my speed on the putts,” said Connelly Eiswerth. “Then I made a couple and felt comfortable from there, and then really had a lot of good chances the rest of the way.”

Connelly Eiswerth sunk a 30-foot birdie putt at the par-5 11th before a tap-in birdie at the par-4 12th. She rebounded from her only back-nine bogey at the par-5 14th with her fifth and final birdie of the day at the par-3 15th.

“The golf course is fun,” said Connelly Eiswerth. “We've got some really good par 4s. You've got to place yourself around off the tee. If you can place your approach as well, you've just got a better chance. It's nice if you're hitting it well enough that you can really just get yourself in position.”

Changkija, a PGA Assistant Golf Professional at Sugar Mill Country Club, made eight consecutive pars to begin her round before birdieing the par-5th 9th. She added another birdie at the par-5 14th and followed her only bogey of the day at the par-3 17th with a birdie on the par-4 18th.

Paez, a PGA Player Development Manager for Ping Golf, registered early birdies at the par-5 2nd and par-4 5th holes. She made the turn at even-par 37 after bogeying the par-5 6th and par-3 8th. Paez, who is competing in her first Women’s PGA Cup, shot a bogey-free 2-under 34 on the back nine.

The U.S. Team, in search of its fourth consecutive Women’s PGA Cup victory, will look for more of the same in Friday’s second round.

“You just keep playing your game, keep trying to see how well you can do, how well you can shoot, and then when you add it up at the end, hopefully it's the lowest,” said Grier.

The 2026 Women’s PGA Cup resumes Friday at Carden Park with starting times beginning at 8 a.m. BST.

For additional information on the Women’s PGA Cup, visit here.