Madelene Sagstrom competed in the first round of the 2026 U.S. Women's Open on Thursday while seven months pregnant. The 33-year-old Swede completed 18 holes at Riviera Country Club despite experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions.
Sagstrom, ranked 73rd in the world, paused several times during her round to manage discomfort from her pregnancy. She described feeling her baby boy move significantly the night before her 7:29 a.m. tee time. Golf gives me a reason to wake up in the morning, Sagstrom said after her round. She added that she aims to test her limits during this period. She shot a six-over 77 and expressed frustration with some swing restrictions but plans to continue competing. Sagstrom is scheduled to play the second round on Friday at 4:14 p.m. ET alongside Yan Liu and Jiwon Ko. Her husband, Jack Clarke, walked the course with her. Sagstrom has not ruled out additional events this month.
