Meadow and Maguire five back in Hawaii
KAPOLEI, HAWAII - APRIL 13: Hannah Green of Australia looks on after finishing her round on the ninth hole during the first round of the LOTTE Championship at Kapolei Golf Club on April 13, 2022 in Kapolei, Hawaii. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Stephanie Meadow and Leona Maguire are five shots behind Australian Hannah Green after the opening round of the wind-lashed LOTTE Championship in Hawaii.
Green survived the nearly 30-mph winds that buffeted Oahu's Hoakalei Country Club on Wednesday and carded eight birdies and two bogeys to lead by two shots.
Meadow and Maguire both shot one-under 71s to share 26th place.
Jordanstown star Meadow bogeyed the 11th and 12th but went on to mix five birdies with two bogeys in eight holes to finish in the red.
Co Cavan native Maguire dropped early shots at the sixth and eighth but birdied the 12th, 13th and 17th to join Meadow on one-under-par.
Green won her maiden Major, the KPMG Women's PGA in 2019 and she's not daunted by the challenge in Hawaii.
"I hit the ball really good and I had nice numbers into the holes," the Australian said. "It wasn't really ever like too many hard shots, which is quite hard here in Hawaii.
"But I feel like the windier it gets and the harder it gets, I like that. I feel like I like the challenge. I might not say that tomorrow if I have a bad score, but, you know, it makes you think. Yeah, those that play well are rewarded."
She's one stroke clear of India's Aditi Ashok, Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh, Korea's Hyo Joo Kim, American Alison Lee and England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff with defending champion Lydia Ko tied for 11th after a 69.
Jennifer Kupcho, who won The Chevron Championship two weeks ago, was one-under with six to play but signed for a 74 after playing the three-hole stretch from the 13th to the 15th in four-over-par.
ENDS
