Inspirato Colorado Women’s Open – Day 1

Former champs finish high on the first day of three-day tournament

By Jim Bebbington

The first day of the 2025 Inspirato Colorado Women’s Open saw several familiar faces near the top of the leaderboard as well as very familiar delays for late-afternoon storms.

The morning groups played uninterrupted and several former champs finished in great shape after their first rounds. Two-time champion Becca Huffer is in second place at 5-under, and 2023 winner Haylee Harford is tied for third place at 3-under.

With some afternoon rounds still waiting for storms to clear to finish, the leader was Mariel Galdiano of Hawaii at 6-under. Galdiano shot five birdies on the front nine of the rain-softened Green Valley Ranch Golf Course.

Overnight rains had softened the greens and narrowed some fairways as ponds spilled over their banks.

The 2025 tournament has still attracted an international field of professionals and high-ranking amateurs. The pros are playing for a $200,000 purse, with $50,000 going to the winner.

Huffer, a Denver native and graduate of Notre Dame University, was the highest-finishing Coloradan Wednesday. Other top Colorado finishers included:

• Lauren Dickey and Katelyn Lehigh, both of Loveland, tied for 7th at 2-under.
• Emma Bryant of Aurora and Katelyn Webster of Boulder to tied for 20th at even par.

The top of the leaderboard shows the tournament’s international draw. Players in the top 20 hail from Australia, Japan, Thailand and China.

The threat of weather paused play for about 50 minutes late in the afternoon but players returned to the course to finish their rounds.

The second round begins 7 a.m. Thursday at Green Valley Ranch Golf Course. A two-round cut will then be held and the top 40 percent of pros and amateurs will play the final round Friday.