Leona Maguire shows increased comfort level as she co-leads in Michigan
Leona Maguire. Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Leona Maguire felt right at home as she continued her hot streak and fired a bogey-free 65 to share the early lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan.
The Co Cavan star (26) was reminded of some familiar Dublin parklands as she made seven birdies at Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids to set the pace with Japan's Nasa Hataoka, England's Charley Hull and American Lauren Stephenson on seven-under-par.
"It reminds me a lot of golf courses that I would've grown up playing at home," said Maguire, who also led after the opening round in last week's LPGA Mediheal Championship and tied for ninth.
"It's very similar to the courses we get in Dublin. Tree-lined, like Hermitage, Elm Park, ones where I would've grown up playing junior golf.
"I have an Irish caddie on the bag (Dermot Byrne), and he said the same. It's nice when you sort of have that familiar ID even though it's a new place."
Seeking her maiden LPGA win just a week before the third Major of the season, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in Atlanta, the Slieve Russell star struck the ball superbly and birdied all five par-fives.
"I think I only missed maybe one green today and really took advantage of the par-fives, which really helps around here," she said. "You know everybody is going to go low. You can't really stop and look behind you very much. You just have to keep your foot down and keep going."
With thee top-10s from her first nine starts this year, she's pleased to be starting tournaments well, and she's looking to keep her foot down all week.
"It was kind of the opposite last year," she said. "So kind of flipped that this year, so I just need to put the two together. Hopefully, I can do that in the next few weeks.
"Just getting more comfortable, I think. I've been in a few big groups last few weeks especially, and really happy with how I've managed that and sort of stuck to my own game plan as well."
Stephanie Meadow’s recent struggles continued when she carded a one-over 73 to share 103rd.
The Jordanstown star made three birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey seven at the 10th as she found just six fairways.
On the Challenge Tour, Portmarnock's Conor Purcell made seven bogeys in a three-over 75 to slip to 35th, nine shots off the pace in the Challenge de España at Novo Sancti Petri in Cadiz.
Just a shot off the lead at halfway, he bogeyed three of his first six holes as Scotland's Ewen Ferguson shot 65 and France's Frederic Lacroix 66 to lead by two shots on 16-under par.
