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Farah O’Keefe’s energy is sparking a connected USA team early at Curtis Cup

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LOS ANGELES — Farah O’Keefe is often sporting a smile. She has an infectious aura that lifts everyone up around her. Whether she’s playing great golf or poorly – which isn’t often – O’Keefe is one whose attitude brings everyone up around her.

Perhaps it’s no surprise then she was the USA’s best player Friday on the opening day of the 2026 Curtis Cup.

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O’Keefe was the only player for either team to go undefeated in the first day at Bel-Air Country Club, winning her morning four-ball match with Jasmine Koo before earning the final point in the afternoon in foursomes playing with Avery Weed, helping the USA take a 4-2 lead into Saturday.

“It was awesome,” O’Keefe said. “I don’t know, I didn’t feel like it was my first Curtis Cup experience. I felt like I was — you know, with both my partners, I felt like both of us were very, very confident coming out of the gate. I felt like no matter what happened in our match, we were always in control.”

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Check out the best photos from the 2026 Curtis Cup at Bel-Air Country Club

Sophia Fullbrook (GB&I) and Beth Coulter (GB&I) talks before they take their tee shot on the first hole Brduring a practice round ahead of the 2026 Curtis Cup at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles, Calif. on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.

(Edward M. Pio Roda, USGA Museum)

Playing in the anchor match both sessions, O’Keefe knocked in a birdie putt on the 18th hole in four-ball to help her and Koo win 2 up. Then in the afternoon on the par-3 16th, O’Keefe hit a brilliant iron to a back right pin that funneled to a couple feet, and Weed ended play for the day when she poured in the birdie putt.

A special handshake later, it was a perfect opening day for the NCAA individual champion.

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“At one point, I think, in the afternoon we were 2-down, and it really didn’t feel like it,” O’Keefe said. “It still felt like we were very much still in that match, and it just felt, I don’t know, it was just fun. We were kind of — we were just having the time of our lives down the back nine, and I felt like we just had a great time. Yeah, I’m looking forward to tomorrow for sure.”

Kelly Xu, who went 1-1 on the day playing alongside Anna Davis, echoed O’Keefe’s sentiments, saying the team feeling and camaraderie is showing through, even early on.

Even down to the interactions in the team room, USA is gelling. It’s something that was apparent Friday, as they look to reclaim the Curtis Cup.

“There’s not one person that’s not enjoying themselves this week, I think. We were talking about it the other night, and it’s just like everybody on our team has a fantastic sense of humor,” O’Keefe said. “They don’t take themselves too seriously, which I think is kind of important. But at the same time, we’re all really, really good at what we do, and I think we put a lot of effort and time into our craft so that, when it comes time to perform, it’s there.

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“I feel like every single one of these girls also knows how to relax at the end of the day. So really just meshing with them, as you said, it came really easy.”

Early on at Bel-Air, the USA’s continuity is showing. For a team looking to continue a dominant winning streak at home, that’s a positive as a pivotal Saturday looms.

“Having fun, being confident, and trusting your partner,” captain Meghan Stasi said. “I think they did a really good job of that. The losses were to a majority of birdies. So it was awesome.”

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Curtis Cup 2026: Farah O’Keefe shines as USA takes early lead

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