Alaqua Country Club is no stranger to low scores when the Epson Tour comes to town and the 2025 edition of the IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture followed the trend. Of the 120-player field, 50 athletes were able to post an under-par score in round one, a 48-person difference from last week at Atlantic Beach Country Club after round one.

Jeongeun Lee5 took advantage of the perfect conditions and soft greens, flirting with the 18-hole tournament record throughout the round. Lee5 rolled in five birdies on her opening nine, making the turn on track to at least tie the 18-hole record. The birdies slowed, but not nearly enough. The veteran moved past the pack of players sitting at 6-under by her 13th hole, giving her five holes to create a cushion going into round two.

Lee5 added one more birdie in the last five holes, turning in a 3-under 32 for her second nine. The 8-under 63 gives the 36-year-old a two-shot lead over three Epson Tour champions in Valery Plata, Laetitia Beck, and Gina Kim.

Plata, Beck, and Kim turned in 6-under rounds in very different ways. Beck recorded the most birdies of the bunch, putting eight circles on her scorecard for the day, while Plata made it through the round bogey-free. Kim found the happy-medium, making seven birdies and one bogey to start her IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture.

Beck is trying to close out the Florida Swing in style with back-to-back victories as well. The 33-year-old has yet to finish outside the top-3 in the first two events, holding firm control of the No. 1 spot in the Race for the Card and well within reach of her second victory on Tour.

“Pretty much every hole here is a birdie hole as long as you keep it in play,” said Beck after round one. “So today, my putting really was on fire, and I didn't necessarily hit the ball well, but I don't remember a day that I made that many putts. So that really saved me today.”

The second round of the IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture will begin tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. local time with a cut to be made to the top-60 and ties at the conclusion of play.

Competition Highlights

T2: Valery Plata, Laetitia Beck, and Gina Kim
Plata
- Made six birdies on her way to a bogey-free 65
- Has made one of two cuts this year
  - T53 at the Central Florida Championship
- Winner of the 2024 Central Florida Championship
- Currently No. 79 in the Race for the Card
  - Finished No. 17 in the 2024 Race for the Card
Beck
- Made eight birdies and two bogeys in her opening round 65
- Has made both cuts this season
  - T3 at the Central Florida Championship
  - Won the 2025 Atlantic Beach Charity Classic presented by Access Golf
- Competed on the LPGA Tour in 2024
  - Her best finish was T19 at the Dana Open
- Currently No. 1 in the Race for the Card
Kim
- Had seven birdies and one bogey in R1
- Her best round on the Epson Tour this season
  - Previous best round was a 67 in R1 at the Central Florida Championship
- Has made both cuts this season
  - Best finish was T29 at the Central Florida Championship
- Competed on the LPGA Tour in 2023 and 2024
  - Career best T3 finish at the 2023 Portland Classic
- Won the 2022 Inova Mission Inn Resort and Club Championship on the Epson Tour
- Currently No. 44 in the Race for the Card
T5: Roberta Liti and Josee Doyon
Liti
- Shot a 5-under 66 in R1
  - Had seven birdies and two bogeys
  - Carded a 5-under 30 on the back nine
  - Lowest round of her season
- Has made both cuts to start the season
- Finished No. 8 in the 2023 Race for the Card to earn LPGA Tour membership
  - Placed 58 at the Atlantic Beach Classic presented by Access Golf
Doyon
- Shot a 66 in R1
  - Made six birdies and one bogey
  - Her best round this season
- Looking to make her first cut of 2025
- Making her second appearance at the IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture
T7: Kathleen Scavo and Bi Shin
Scavo
- Carded a 4-under 67 in R1
  - Was bogey-free with four birdies
  - 3-under on the back nine
- Making her fourth appearance at the IOA Golf Classic presented by Aperture
  - Has made two of three cuts
- Winner of the 2024 Dream First Bank Charity Classic
  - Her first win on the Epson Tour
Shin
- Shot a 4-under 67 in R1
  - Was bogey-free with four birdies
- Has made both cuts this season
  - Career best third-place finish at the Atlantic Beach Classic presented by Access Golf
- Currently No. 5 in the Race for the Card

A Look at the Leader - Jeongeun Lee5

CATEGORY	JEONGEUN LEE5
2025 Race for the CardRank	32
Career Epson Tour Wins	0
Career Official Epson Tour Top 10s	0
Career Official LPGA Tour Top 10s	7
Career Official Money - LPGA	$1.7M
Global Tour Wins	5 (KLPGA)

About the Leader

Jeongeun Lee5
- Signed for 63 in R1
  - Had eight birdies and was bogey-free
- Made one of two cuts this season
  - T14 at the Central Florida Championship
- Has seven career top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour
  - Career best T2 finish at the 2021 Portland Classic
- Five career wins on the KLPGA

Jeongeun Lee5 Leads by Two After Bogey-Free Opening Round

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