Leona Maguire got off to an excellent start at the Women’s PGA Championship with a classy two-under-par round of 70 at Sahalee Country Club, where Lexi Thompson leads the way on four-under par.
The Cavan golfer notched four birdies to more than offset two bogeys to set herself up nicely heading into the second round of the season’s third major championship.
FULL EADERBOARD
Maguire got off to the perfect start with a birdie on the first before picking up another with a deuce on number five.
After a bogey on seven following a wayward drive, she would get that back on the 10th. Her only other bogey came on the par-three 13th, but she would grab her final birdie of the day on the very next hole.
Antrim’s Stephanie Meadow didn’t enjoy as a good a start, carding a five-over par 77. Bogeys at the first and fourth had her two-over at the turn, but hit a sticky patch at the 11th, slumping to four bogeys in five holes, before stopping the rot with a birdie at the 16th.
At the top of the standings, Thompson, who is retiring from full-time golf on the LPGA Tour at the end of the season, is the woman to catch.
She made three straight birdies to start her round in impressive style, and added three more to open a one-shot lead over Nelly Korda and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit.
After finishing runner-up last week, Thompson shrugged off suggestions her retirement announcement had prompted an upturn in form.
“I don’t think that has to do with announcing what I did,” she said. “It’s just a matter of being comfortable out there, playing free-swing Lexi I guess. Just enjoying being out there every step of the way.
“I’m just taking it one day at a time. I made my announcement. I’m very content with it.
“Golf is a crazy game, so I’m not going to look too far ahead. Just taking it one day at a time and see where it takes me.”