The field of 144 battled through on and off showers during the first round of the Hartford HealthCare Women's Championship, with 60 players finishing in the red to start their tournament. No one was able to separate too far from the rest of the field through the first 18 holes, but Lakareber Abe and Daniela Iacobelli share the lead at 6-under after both posting stellar opening rounds.

Iacobelli is coming off a 6-hole playoff loss to Kathleen Scavo at the Dream First Bank Charity Classic, but you would think she was coming off the win with how she performed and strutted around Great River Golf Club during her first round. Confidence oozed from the 36-year-old as she poured in seven birdies on her way to a 6-under opening round. The only slip-up of the day came on her 11th hole, making a five on the tough par 4. A birdie two holes later put her right back on track and was the spark she needed as she made two more birdies grab a spot at the top of the leaderboard.

"I don't know. I had no expectations coming into the week. I had a long off week, so I was like, 'you know what? I'm just happy to have a tee time. Let's just go have a day'," said Iacobelli. "Honestly, I think this is just a continuation. I mean, I've been playing well for a while, just wasn't posting really good numbers. I was struggling to get myself under par and I just kind of let it go."

Abe is also coming off some impressive showings as of late, but not just on the Epson Tour. The 28-year-old teamed up with Georgia Oboh at the 2024 Dow Championship, where they posted a final round 63 to finish T8 for the event. The tournaments around the Dow Championship have also shown the trending form from Abe, making the last four cuts on the Epson Tour, only finishing outside the top 30 once. This week, she was on cruise control, making an eagle and three birdies in her opening nine holes to turn with a 5-under 31. Abe added another birdie on No. 11 before suffering her first bogey of the week two holes later. One more birdie coming in on No. 15 was all she would need to share the lead with Iacobelli after the first 18 holes.

"I mean, I think you definitely have to be patient to try to hit good shots and, try to as many fairways as possible, a lot of greens and just give yourself a lot of looks inside 15, 20ft and then hope you roll some well and get some good speed," explained Abe. "One big thing for me this year is just every time I step on the golf course, I try to learn and improve and get a little better each day. So not pay too much attention to where I am, but just try to hit good shots and do my best work."

Both players will be off in the AM for their second rounds, along with Amanda Doherty who finished 5-under on the day and is also playing with Iacobelli for the first two rounds.

ABOUT THE LEADER

Daniela Iacobelli and Lakareber Abe lead the way at 6-under after 18 holes of play at the Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship

Iacobelli

Iacobelli made seven birdies and one bogey in her opening round
She has 33 top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour including four wins since her rookie year in 2010
- Her last victory came at the 2022 Wildhorse Ladies Golf Classic
Her best result this season was a runner-up finish at the Dream First Bank Charity Classic
Iacobelli has played in 37 LPGA Tour events in her career
The 36-year-old is searching for her first top-10 and first win of the season
While attending the Florida Institute of Technology, Iacobelli recorded eight wins and 29 top-10 finishes

Abe

Abe had five birdies, one bogey and an eagle to start her championship
- Her 6-under round is her best of the season
She has made seven of 10 cuts this season
- The 28-year-old has made the cut in her last four starts
The University of Alabama grad finished T8 on the LPGA Tour at the 2024 Dow Championship with partner Georgia Oboh
Abe has competed on the Epson Tour since 2018, with her best result coming at the 2020 Florida’s Natural Charity Classic where she finished T3

THINGS TO KNOW

Juliana Hung carded a 4-under 68 to sit in a tie for fourth

The 22-year-old is a 2024 Epson Tour rookie
- She had five birdies and one bogey to open up her Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship
She has made six of 10 cuts in her 2024 campaign including a win at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa
Hung has won six times on the Taiwan LPGA Tour (TLPGA)
- Her last victory came at the 2023 Taiwan Mobile Ladies Open
The 21-under total at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort & Spa is the lowest 54-hole score to par in Epson Tour history
- The previous lowest total was set by three different players at 19-under par

Fatima Fernandez Cano signed for a 3-under 69 in her opening round

Fernandez Cano made two birdies, two bogeys and a hole-in-on
- The hole-in-one was on the first hole of the day
She has recorded two wins, and 22 top-10 finishes on the Epson Tour
- Her last victory came at the 2022 Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic
During the 2024 season she has played in six events making five cuts
- Her best finish is T19 at the IOA Championship presented by Morongo Casino Resort and Spa
Fernandez Cano has also spent time on the Ladies European Tour in 2024, recording three top-10 finishes
- Her best finishes have been at the Lalla Meryem Cup and the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open where she finished in a tie for third

QUICK QUOTES

Jessica Porvasnik (-4, T4) on how she prepared for this week after the Midwest stretch:

"I think rest was the biggest thing. It was five weeks in a row for me there and I think it might have been nice to maybe have a caddie or somebody on the bag the last week of the stretch. I honestly rested the off week; I think I played once and hit some balls. All of my coaches and stuff just told me to work on the same stuff. It never gets old, but it was nice."

Soo Bin Joo (-3, T13) on getting back into the swing of things after her missed cut in Garden City:

“Well, the win at Island Resort gave me some pressure to be honest. I was trying to play too well at Garden City, but I learned that I should be me and just stick to my game. Don't overthink and I think that that helped me today.”

Sarah Edwards (-3, T13) on a 3-under opening round:

"I'm going to have the same game plans for tomorrow. You can't win on the first day, can't win on the second, so I'm just going to go out there and play smart and try to do my best."

Iacobelli and Abe Share the Lead After 18 Holes at the Hartford HealthCare Women's Championship

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