Context:

Gemma Dryburgh and Cassie Porter took the lead in the Dow Championship after posting a 4-under 66 in the alternate shot format of the LPGA's only team event. The duo managed to maintain their lead despite dropping just one shot, finishing with six consecutive pars, narrowly ahead of six other teams. The defending champions, Ruoning Yin and Jeeno Thitikul, were two shots behind at 68. Dryburgh, a seasoned 32-year-old from Scotland, and Porter, a 22-year-old rookie from Australia, strategically decided on which holes the longer-hitting Porter would start, complementing each other's strengths. The format shifts to fourballs on Friday, expected to produce lower scores as the lowest score of each player counts for the team.

Dive Deeper:

• Cassie Porter and Gemma Dryburgh took advantage of Porter's driving strength in the alternate shot format, with Porter driving the green on a par 4 and chipping in to start a series of three straight birdies, ultimately achieving a 4-under 66.

• The team only dropped one shot during their round and managed to maintain their lead over six other teams by finishing with six straight pars.

• Lexi Thompson and Meghan Kang, as well as Leona Maguire and Jennifer Kupcho, were among the teams trailing just one shot behind, with Thompson and Kang recording five birdies against two bogeys.

• Defending champions Ruoning Yin and Jeeno Thitikul, ranked among the top five in the women's world rankings, were two shots behind at 68, part of a larger group of contenders.

• Dryburgh, from Scotland, and Porter, from Australia, capitalized on their complementary skills, with Porter's longer drives and Dryburgh's accuracy ensuring they could strategically tackle each hole effectively.

• Maguire and Kupcho, playing in the same format, overcame an early bogey to finish bogey-free with four birdies, emphasizing a strategy of safe play and consistent putting to stay competitive.

• The competition moves to a fourball format on the following day, where each team member's lowest score on each hole counts, typically resulting in lower overall scores.