Michelle Zhang and Camille Boyd arrived at the Dow Championship with a team name, a shared rookie resume and not much to lose — and through the first round Thursday, that combination proved to be exactly what the Baddies needed.

The two LPGA Tour rookies, both Epson Tour alumnae making their way through a demanding debut season, carded a 3-under 67 in foursomes play at Midland Country Club to share the first-round lead at the Dow Championship alongside Nicole Broch Estrup/Gemma Dryburgh, Alison Lee/Lilia Vu and A Lim Kim/Ina Yoon midway through the first round. With three rounds and 54 holes remaining in the 72-hole team stroke-play competition, the Baddies are right where they want to be.

Zhang, 21, of the People’s Republic of China, and Boyd, 23, of the United States, started their round on the back nine and found their rhythm immediately. The pair converted three birdies in their first seven holes on the back side, surging to 3-under through the turn and bringing real energy to a Midland Country Club crowd that gave it right back.

The Baddies opened with a par on the par-4 10th before converting birdies on the par-5 11th and par-4 12th to surge to 2-under. They held steady through holes 13 through 15 before adding another birdie on the par-4 16th to reach 3-under. A bogey on the par-4 17th dropped them back to 2-under, but they steadied with a par on the par-3 18th to make the turn at 2-under 33 on the back nine.

The front nine proved slightly more turbulent. A bogey on the par-4 first pushed the duo back to 1-under before four consecutive pars on holes two through four. Boyd and Zhang bounced back with a birdie on the par-4 fifth to climb to 2-under, then added another on the par-3 seventh to reach 3-under. Pars on holes eight and nine closed out a 34 on the front, giving the Baddies a 3-under 67 for the day.

The low-key approach — strategy, it turns out, was kept intentionally simple — appeared to unlock something for both players.

“Strategy, we didn’t talk too much about it,” Boyd said. “It was just like, okay, I’m going to do odd holes; you’re going to do even holes. I don’t think we both hit it super well, but Michelle putted great, and I think we were able to capitalize on that momentum and keep the good vibes going and keep it light and fun out there.”

That lightness has defined the week for a team that hasn’t had many moments to exhale in their respective first seasons on the LPGA Tour. Zhang has made two cuts in five starts this season, while Boyd has made two in seven. Neither player has recorded a top-10 finish in 2026. The Dow Championship — a team event outside the grind of individual stroke play — offered a welcome reset.

“Going into the event, we were both super excited,” Boyd said. “It’s a fun thing. The crowds were great, so I think we were just having good vibes out there and feeding off that energy for sure.”

For Zhang, the team format brought a layer of accountability that shifted her perspective on the course. As two rookies who battled alongside one another on the Epson Tour, Zhang finished 13th in the Race for the Card in 2025 after making 17 cuts in 19 starts, while Boyd punched her card through a T10 finish at LPGA Q-Series. There is a shared understanding of the grind that translates into genuine trust between the ropes. Zhang made her way to the LPGA Tour with her younger brother on the bag during her Epson Tour days, and she continues to draw on the guidance of former SMU assistant coach Addie Baggerly as she navigates her rookie season.

“I think it’s just super exciting,” Zhang said. “We haven’t had the best season this year so far, but just going out there, we’re always nervous. But kind of putting it into perspective this week — hitting a bad shot, it’s okay. I know Camille’s got me. Or even if she placed me in a bad spot, it’s okay. I got you, dog; don’t worry about it.”

The Dow Championship does not award Rolex Rankings points but does count as an official LPGA Tour victory. The event alternates formats across its four days — foursomes on Thursday and Saturday, four-ball on Friday and Sunday. The Baddies will shift into best-ball play for the second round on Friday, a format that figures to reward exactly the kind of energy Zhang and Boyd have brought to Midland Country Club.

With three rounds remaining, Zhang and Boyd will look to carry their momentum into Friday’s second round and further establish themselves atop a crowded leaderboard. For a pair of rookies still searching for their first LPGA Tour top-10 finishes, Thursday’s result offered proof that the best chapter of their debut season may still be ahead of them.

Zhang, Boyd Bring the ‘Baddies’ Energy to the Top of the Leaderboard at Dow Championship

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