Casandra Alexander showed everyone why she’s the Ladies European Tour (LET)’s number one player on day one at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open firing a course record 63 (-9) in wet conditions to lead by four shots.
After Alessandra Fanali set the pace with a 67 (-5) at The K Club’s Palmer South Course, Alexander got off to an electric start in Ireland birdying three of her first four holes at the 1st, 3rd and 4th.
Another followed at the 8th before the big-hitting South African went on a tear on the back-nine carding birdies at the 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th and 18th to complete a scintillating performance.
The 63 (-9) is a course record on the Palmer South at the iconic K Club in Ireland. It is also Alexander’s lowest round of the 2026 season.
“I actually thought I was only seven-under,” the Order of Merit leader said. “I wanted to look at the leaderboard but I thought let’s just play. Afterwards I saw what I scored and thought, ‘oh, that was good!’ I think it’s important to stay patient in conditions like this. I went with the flow and kept it in the right places.
“I made a lot of putts, still left a couple out there but I’m hitting the ball nicely. Glad to see the work I did at home to get back on track has paid off. I think the standout today was definitely my wedges. I hit my wedges really close. I’ve come short so many times this season so I thought I might as well get out there and give myself a head start this time.“
Alexander, a one-time winner on the LET, is enjoying a stellar 2026 campaign registering five runner-up finishes on the circuit and another on the Sunshine Ladies Tour. She also finished T10 at Europe’s Major, The Amundi Evian Championship.
Since then, however, the World No 38 has had a difficult summer by her own high standards missing cuts at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open and PIF London Championship alongside a T68 at the AIG Women’s Open. She returned home following the run to reset ahead of this week’s KPMG Women’s Irish Open.
“I was able to spend some time with friends and family,” Alexander explained, whose sole win on the LET came last year at the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open. “Just getting back to the drawing board after not such a great run in the UK. I think it’s important to step back and evaluate. I think that’s what I’ve done and I’m glad I did. It’s just refining, not big changes.
“Golf is hard. It’s a tough game. Some courses suit you and some don’t. I’m obviously still trying to get that win but it takes more than just good golf. Everything has to come together to win.”
In a tie for second sit the before-mentioned Fanali from Italy, England’s Lily May Humphreys, Czech Republic’s Jana Melichova, and the Isle of Man’s Ana Dawson.
Fanali continued her love affair with Ireland on Thursday carding seven birdies in her first 11 holes before the rain kicked in. The Italian has competed three times at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open finishing T9, T5 and T17.
“It was a really good round,” Fanali said. “Since the beginning I hit some solid shots and putts. I was just trying to enjoy myself, honestly. The rain came after 10 holes so it was a bit more of a struggle. But overall, really good. I really love the breakfasts here! But I really love the course this year too. The people are really friendly and the organisation of this tournament is really great.”
Dawson meanwhile was aided by her sister Lea on the bag again who helped her finish 21st at the PIF London Championship last month in England.
“It was definitely tricky out there but I’m fortunate to have my sister out here with me,” Dawson said. “An extra pair of hands always helps when it’s raining. We did our best to manage that and I hit some nice shots along the way. She’s caddied a couple of times for me on the LET Access Series (LETAS) and she caddied for me in London. I’d been pestering her to finish her dissertation so she can come out here this week! She played college golf with me in Memphis so she knows what she’s doing.”
A two-time winner on the LET, Melichova had a great day after finishing T124 in her last outing at the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open.
“Lately I’ve been really struggling so much,” the Czech star said. “Last event in Switzerland, I literally had fear in my eyes when I was standing over the ball. I was hopeless and I was afraid of playing. Today, I didn’t feel that at all and I felt so happy. I just want to keep doing that.”
Three players share sixth position after day one with England’s Annabell Fuller, Sweden’s Louise Rydqvist and Czech Republic’s Sara Kouskova all sitting on four-under par.
On the home front, rookie Aine Donegan produced the performance of the day opening with a round of 69 (-3) in the afternoon to sit T9. Solheim Cup winner Leona Maguire opened with a round of 71 (-1) at The K Club – the venue she delivered the Ryder Cup to the winning European side back in 2006 as an 11-year-old.
Elsewhere on day one in Ireland, there was a hole-in-one bonanza in the morning as English duo Cara Gainer and Jess Baker, plus France’s Emma Falcher all recorded aces on the Palmer South Course. Gainer made the first hole-in-one of her career on the 2nd while Baker and Falcher holed out on the 12th and 8th respectively.
The second round of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open gets underway tomorrow at 7:45 local time. Watch live and follow all the action throughout the tournament on our socials – @LETgolf on Instagram, TikTok and X, and Ladies European Tour on YouTube and Facebook – #KPMGWIO.
