The final stop of the 2026 Epson Tour West Coast stretch is officially underway at the Copper Rock Championship. The field of 132 athletes were gifted picture-perfect conditions for round one at Copper Rock Golf Course, in Hurricane, Utah, on Thursday.

Caitlin Peirce is an Epson Tour sophomore looking to clinch her first professional win to begin the 2026 Epson Tour season. The 23-year-old started off very strong on her opening nine, with an eagle and four birdies. The Australian was heating up with landing an approach shot on the par-5 fifth to six feet and rolling in the putt for her first eagle to start round one. Peirce continued the strong momentum by dropping putts on holes seven and eight.

“Probably my approach plays, especially on the front nine, expressed Peirce. “I mean, most of my birdies would have been inside like six feet sort of thing. So, it made it pretty easy to get off to a good start and then yeah, hold a putt coming in.”

Peirce sunk deeper into the red rounding the turn a birdie on hole 11. The 23-year-old stayed dialed all morning firing another eagle on the par-5 16th, this one a more dramatic 20-footer. Coming off a T10 finish in Las Vegas, Piece ended the day signing for an incredible 8-under par round of 64.

“I really enjoy the Thursday start I feel like it gets the week moving a little bit quicker, so it really doesn't feel all that different, but you just must score stronger at the start there's no time to catch it up if you get behind, said Peirce.”

Another player taking advantage of Copper Rock Golf Course was Lindsey McCurdy Peek. The Epson Tour veteran opened with a birdie on No. 1 and followed with sinking two more putts on holes three and five to round the turn 3-under par. The 31-year-old found three more birdie on the back nine, to sign for a bogey-free 66, and is sitting atop the leaderboard for the first time in a long time.

“I've just been playing really consistent lately, said McCurdy Peek. “I know the scores haven't been showing it, but I kind of just brought that into today and finally cleaned up some mistakes and it just felt really easy golf. So that's really nice. I mean, if I didn't make birdie, it was just a really easy par. It just kind of all came together today and it was a really nice feeling.”

McCurdy Peek was vulnerable in her post round interview, expressing how she has missed a few cuts and partially credits her success this morning to a conversation she had off the golf course with her sports psychologist.

“I actually talked with a sports psychologist yesterday, openly shared McCurdy Peek, “and I kind of just learned that I think I was being a little too accepting and too passive about just playing, feeling good about it, but it not getting there. So my mindset today was just to kind of like go get it. If I feel it, I should go get. I had a little bit extra confidence and freedom out there today that I didn't have the first two weeks and it's really nice to feel.”

Samantha Wagner is a 29-year-old who has started this season on a good note, securing T11 and T17 finished at the Orlando Health Championship and Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic, respectively. Wagner currently sits at No. 44 on the Race for the Card leaderboard. The Epson Tour veteran fired a 6-under 66 in round one, highlighted by a 4-under closing nine.

“I think Graham and I were just reading really well together a couple goofy mistakes that were on me but other than that just a really calm fun round and stuck to our game plan and gave myself a lot of good looks, said Wagner.”

Wagner successful round of golf was not the only thing she was excited about this afternoon. The Epson Tour veteran became an aunt overnight, welcoming in Wynn Wagner to the family. The University of Florida alumna sits two shots back of 18-hole leader, Caitlin Peirce and is in a tie for second with Lindsey McCurdy Peek and Mary Parsons.

“Well, it was the middle of the night, so I was like, yay, but back to sleep, Wagner said. “But then when I woke up this morning and got to actually see pictures of his face and was showing basically everyone on the course, and any time we got new photos, I feel like my parents were like, oh, look at Wynn. So it was just nice, obviously just a great time in our family, and I've had a nice couple changes in my life since last season ended, so, I've just really taken it in and enjoyed. My life off the golf course too. So, Wynn adds to that and I'm excited to meet him.”

Mary Parsons signed for a 6-under, 66. The Canada native tied the lowest round of her Epson Tour professional career to sit in a tie for second heading into moving day.

The pack tightens quickly, with 11 athletes at 4-under, sitting in a tie for seventh, setting up an intense battle heading into day two.

Make sure to check out what 18-hole leader, Caitlin Peirce does as she plans to tee off for round two at 1:15 p.m. local time Friday afternoon. The Australian is looking to achieve the feat of breaking her personal and the tournament scoring record.

The Copper Rock Championship continues to deliver drama and opportunity for these rising stars chasing LPGA dreams. Follow along with live scoring here.

Caitlin Peirce Leads the Copper Rock Championship after Round One

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