Playing in Hurricane, Utah this week, Therese Warner finds her calm before the storm at the Copper Rock Championship. The Epson Tour sophomore posted a low opening round, picking up where she left off in 2023.
Warner, one of three athletes to hold the current 54-hole tournament scoring record, feels like she can play her game carefree, and it's showing. The 23-year-old went bogey-free on Thursday, signing for a first-round 5-under, 67. This is a remarkable achievement considering the challenging course conditions at the Copper Rock Championship.
"It might be something about Hurricane, Utah because the second I'm here, I just feel super calm. And normally, that's not really the case," said Warner. "I'm pretty high-strung, but when I'm out here, I'm just chill and playing it shot by shot, not really worrying too much. I don't know; there are just good vibes here. I like it."
Warner, a proud University of Arizona alum, has a remarkable history at the Copper Rock Championship. In 2023, she achieved her first and only top-10 result on the Epson Tour, finishing T2 after a thrilling two-hole playoff against Savannah Vilaubi. Despite her flawless 2024 scorecard, Warner attributes her current success to the mental aspect of her game, not the physical. Her game plan for the tournament is clear; it's all about the mental game for her.
"It's just the mental side of it for me. Last year was just a very similar situation. I didn't play that well in the events leading up to this event," said Warner. "Mentally, I had to just come in very chill, very low expectations, and kind of just play my game, and that's about it."
For those eagerly following Warner's progress, she will be teeing off from No. 10 at 2:10 pm local time for Friday's second round. Follow her progress with scoring at the Copper Rock Championship.
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