Fil-Am rising star Brianna Navarrosa made headlines on Thursday with a career milestone — her very first hole-in-one as a professional — during the opening round of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open.
The 23-year-old, whose father Ringo Navarrosa was a former Philippine tennis champion and Davis Cup player, got off to a spectacular start by acing the 148-yard second hole. That electrifying shot set the tone for what would become an impressive four-under-par 69.
Despite some struggles with her long game — she found just 7 of 15 fairways and hit only 12 greens in regulation — Navarrosa’s short game was nothing short of clutch.
With only 26 putts for the round, she expertly scrambled her way through the course, showing the kind of grit and touch that keeps a round alive.
The University of Southern California alumna ended the day in a tie for ninth place, just two shots off the pace set by Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini and Spain’s Bianca Fernandez, who both fired bogey-free 67s.
It was a day to remember for Navarrosa, whose mix of flair and resilience is starting to turn heads on the professional circuit — and if Thursday’s performance is any indication, there’s plenty more to come.
On a day of changing weather — sunshine, wind, and scattered rain — at Carton House for the opening round of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open.
Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini, a three-time LET winner, fired a six-under 67 on the O’Meara Course. Starting from the 10th tee, she rattled off five birdies on her front nine, added two more on the first and ninth, and dropped just one shot on the third.
“I’m very happy with how I played,” said Tamburlini, who finished fourth here last year. “It was cool and motivating — Madelene [Sagström] and I were having a birdie fest on the front nine.”
Spain’s Bianca Fernandez matched Tamburlini’s 67, making eight birdies and a lone bogey. “Honestly, I didn’t see this round coming,” she said. “I made a few small changes, rested, and just tried to enjoy myself out there.”
Six players sit one shot back at five-under, including England’s Hannah Screen, Mimi Rhodes, and amateur Lottie Woad; Sweden’s Lisa Pettersson and Madelene Sagström; and Alexandra Swayne of the US Virgin Islands.
Screen and Pettersson both turned in bogey-free rounds, while Sagström had an eventful card — five birdies, an eagle, a triple bogey, and two more birdies. “I had a massive brain fart on five,” Sagström laughed. “But I’m pleased. I hit it well and kept challenging myself.”
Rhodes also went bogey-free, crediting her late-round putting surge. “The first nine was quiet, but I holed a couple of long ones on the back. I love this course — if you’re aggressive, you can go really low.”
Eleven players are tied at four-under, including Irish amateur Emma Fleming.
The round featured two hole-in-ones: Brianna Navarrosa of the US aced the par-3 second, while Sweden’s Sofie Bringner aced the 16th.
Round two tees off at 8 a.m. Friday, with the top 60 professionals and ties advancing to the weekend.