GALLOWAY _ Pro-Ams tend to be casual endeavors, a chance for average golfers to experience the thrill of teaming up with professionals, who can relax and fine tune their games before competition begins. They're also an opportunity to reward sponsors and promote goodwill.

For 34-year-old Laetitia Beck of Israel, the pro-am held prior to the ShopRite LPGA Classic was her breakthrough event. Beck played exceptional golf midweek on the Seaview Hotel's Bay Course in a relaxed environment. Little did she know it would provide the momentum needed to post a career-low 63 in the first round of the actual tournament on Friday, May 29.

Beck, who joined the LPGA Tour in 2015, has hit rough patches in recent years and has seen significant action on the Epson Tour as well. She had to re-earn her LPGA status in 2024. She notched the only win of her career on the Epson Tour.

She went into this week "not very confident." Beck had been struggling with most elements of her game, notably missing fairways and having to battle her way out of the rough. However, the pro-am round enabled Beck, who had 25 putts on the opening day of the ShopRite Classic, to turn everything around.

"Even during the pro-am rounds, I was able to read the greens pretty well, so I was just able to make a lot of putts, didn't miss too many greens, few up and downs, and it felt easy," Beck said. "Once you hit a lot of greens, you can shoot low."

She had eight birdies, five on the front nine, in her 8-under-par round on the 6,263-yard course. Beck's putting, which was exceptional in the pro-am due to her ability to see the lines and conquer bumpy greens, carried over. She found herself holing challenging putts, ones she typically doesn't make. That wasn't all that went well.

"I've been working on the strokes and I feel more comfortable than I used to before," said Beck. "Distance control was always decent this year and the few times that I did like not hit it close, I was able to putt it very close to the hole.

"I made a few 15-footers that I usually don't make...It was nice to keep going and keep making birdies."

Denmark's Nicole Broch Estrup, out of action for 15 months after giving birth to her son, Max, was in second and matched her career-best score of 64.

Broch Estrup's round was bogey free despite her hitting only six of 14 fairways. What made her round special was that it came nearly a year after her last LPGA appearance and featured seven birdies. 

"It feels great," Broch Estrup said. "I've been looking forward to coming back for a long time so to be here and just be able to travel with Max and Kasper (her husband) as well, I feel very grateful to be out here again. Today's score is just an extra bonus really."

There were some shaky moments, like her chance at an eagle on the ninth hole if she was able to drop a 20-foot putt. She left herself three feet short. It as then that she recalled shaking. She stayed on an even keel, though, because her son was in attendance.

"Having Max here and, you know, having Max in general just gives another perspective," Broch Estrup said. "My biggest goal is to not get in my own way. I feel like I was definitely not striking it well today but I just kept a smile on my face and took the good bounces. It was nice day in many ways."

Polly Mack, Briana Chacon and Arpichaya Yubol were tied for third with 65s. Next, in sixth place, were Celine Boutier, the 2021 champion, and Soo Bin Joo.

Chacon's highlight of the day was an eagle on No. 16, a par 4. Her ball landed in the cup from 136 yards out.

"It was blowing a little into the wind and my caddie, Heath, and I decided that we're going to do like a little cut 9-iron, but kind of like a little chip shot," Chacon said. "So like a three-quarter cutty 9-iron, if that makes sense. Luckily, I hit the shot really good and had a nice baby fade and came down next to the pin and just scooted back into the pin, spun back in."