Epson Tour graduate Ingrid Lindblad opened the 2026 LPGA Tour season with an efficient performance on Thursday, carding a 3-under 69 in the first round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club.

Making her first appearance in the season-opening event that’s reserved for LPGA Tour winners from the past two years, Lindblad finished the day in a tie for eighth after a kickoff performance that saw her card seven birdies, two bogeys and one double bogey.

The 25-year-old began her round on the back nine and opened with a birdie at the par-4 12th to move to 1-under before a bogey at the par-3 13th brought her back to even. She responded with birdies at the par-4 14th and par-5 15th to climb to 2-under, but she then gave a shot back with a bogey on the par-4 16th. A birdie at the par-3 17th moved her to 2-under at the turn.

Lindblad then birdied the par-4 first hole, chipping in from off the green to climb to 3-under, what was certainly one of the highlights of her round. It was actually even more so because the former Louisiana State University Tiger has a running bet with her caddie pertaining to chip-ins during the 2026 season, a wager that her hole out helped get rolling on Thursday in Orlando.

“(Scott Leonard, her caddie) said once I’ve chipped in 10 times this year, he’ll give me $100,” Lindblad said in her post-round interview. “So, we’ve got one!”

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The Swede then followed that chip-in with another birdie at the par-4 fifth hole to climb to 4-under, but after a double bogey on the par-4 seventh hole dropped her back to 2-under, Lindblad ultimately closed out her round with a birdie on the par-5 ninth hole to finish at 3-under.

Despite the late-day struggles, it was a strong start to Lindblad’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions debut, and an early-week performance that Lindblad felt like had something to do with a subtle equipment change she’s recently made.

“I have a new putter in my bag, which is the same model, just a couple of years newer,” said Lindblad, who only hit 26 putts on Thursday. “The aiming lines on the putter are just a tad longer, and I feel like that has really helped me.”

Her day-one showing was a confident opening statement for the Epson Tour graduate, who is entering her second full LPGA Tour season this year. She arrived at Lake Nona as one of the newest champions in the field, having earned her first LPGA Tour victory at the 2025 JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro at El Caballero Country Club.

But as she looks ahead to a promising sophomore season on the biggest circuit in the women’s game, Lindblad said that the familiarity she now has after playing her first full year on the LPGA Tour last year has changed her perspective entering 2026.

“I hadn’t played any of the golf courses we played last year,” Lindblad said. “I believe I only played (The Amundi Evian Championship), so every golf course I went to last year was a new golf course, and I believe there will be a couple of new ones this year. But it feels nice to know where I’m going.”

And after her play on Thursday, Lindblad is already well-positioned to build on last season’s success in Orlando, as opening 69 has left her within reach of the lead heading into Friday, with three rounds remaining to navigate a challenging Lake Nona and climb the leaderboard.

Ingrid Lindblad Jumpstarts Caddie Wager with Chip-In on Day One of Hilton Grand Vacations TOC

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