Cernousek Leads in Portland Amidst Meadow’s Determined Rally as French rookie Adela Cernousek surged to the top of the leaderboard with a brilliant eight-under-par 64 at the Standard Portland Classic. While she dominated the field, Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow showed late determination to stay in contention, ending her round with two birdies that pulled her back to level par and into a tie for 72nd heading into Friday’s play
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Cernousek’s Impressive Second Nine
After making the turn with just one birdie and eight pars, Cernousek shifted into another gear on the front nine. She birdied the first, fourth, fifth and sixth holes in quick succession, displaying excellent ball striking and a composed putting touch. Her momentum continued with an eagle at the par‐five seventh and another birdie on the ninth, helping her pull one stroke clear of a tight chasing pack that included Gurleen Kaur, Miranda Wang, Brooke Henderson, Jeongeun Lee and Sung Hyun Park.
Meadow Battles Back Late
Meadow’s round started quietly and included two early bogeys, one on the par‐four fourth and another on the 11th. For much of her round she struggled to build momentum, but the Jordanstown star showed resilience in the closing stretch. A perfectly struck tee shot on the 16th delivered a much needed birdie, and she followed up with another on the 18th to return to the clubhouse with a level‐par 72 and renewed belief ahead of the second round.
Chasing Pack in Strong Form
Behind Cernousek, several experienced players produced strong opening rounds. Two–time Portland champion Brooke Henderson made a superb start with four consecutive birdies on her first four holes, eventually finishing with a bogey‐free 65. Miranda Wang also signed for a 65, recording five birdies over a six–hole stretch and keeping a clean card throughout. South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai, Sweden’s Linn Grant, and Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol are among a group of players two shots back at 66.
Rookies and Veterans Compete for Position
Other notable performances included Jeongeun Lee’s round of six birdies and an eagle, and Jin Young Ko’s steady 67 that keeps her in touch. Amateur Kiara Romero also impressed, joining Ko in a share of 12th place. Cernousek, the 2024 NCAA individual champion and playing in only her 13th LPGA event, is chasing her first top‐20 finish as a professional. The French rookie credited her caddie for helping her with distances and said her confidence grew as she consistently found close opportunities for birdie.
Looking Ahead to Round Two
As the tournament moves into Friday’s action, defending champion Moriya Jutanugarn sits well down the leaderboard after a 73 and will need a strong second round to make the cut. Meadow will hope to build on her strong finish, while Cernousek aims to maintain her momentum and secure her breakthrough result on the LPGA Tour.
