Leona Maguire in cut battle after opening 76 in US Women’s Open
Leona Maguire plays a shot on the 18th hole during a practice round ahead of the 2025 U.S. Women's Open Presented by Ally at Erin Hills Golf Course in Hartford, Wis. on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Logan Whitton/USGA)
Leona Maguire has her work cut out to make the weekend in the 80th U.S. Women’s Open after opening with a four-over 76 in Wisconsin.
The Co Cavan star (30) admits she’s struggled to pull all elements of her game together in the same week this year and it was the same story at 6,745-yard Erin Hills, where she made three bogeys, a double bogey and just one birdie to end the opening round three shots outside the top 60 and ties who make the cut and eight shots off the lead.
Starting on the back nine, Maguire opened with four pars before making seven at the par-five 14th, where she had to take a penalty drop after driving into a fairway bunker and missed a six-footer for bogey.
She dropped further shots at the 17th and second before following her lone birdie at the third, where she made a 20-footer, with a bogey at the demanding eighth.
She hit just nine greens in regulation despite missing just one fairway for the double bogey and rare birdie chances inside ten feet failed to drop at the 15th and sixth
She was ranked 146th for strokes gained putting, losing 2.44 strokes to the field on the greens, and 135th for strokes gained from the tee.
Japan’s Rio Takeda, Americans Yealimi Noh and Angel Yin, Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez and Korea’s Jinhee Im and 2020 champion A Lim Kim opened with four-under-par 68s to lead by a shot
Japan’s Chisato Iwai, Nasa Hataoka and Yui Kawamoto, Swiss Chiara Tamburlini and Korea’s Youmin Hwang were their nearest challengers after rounds of 69.
“This is a major tournament, so before I came here, I was very much excited and very happy to join this,” said Takeda.
“During the play, I really agree that patience is very important.”
Noh birdied the 13th, eagled the 14th and birdied the 18th for her 68.
“Yeah, it was a very solid day,” said Noh. “Hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens. Didn't chip around too much, so that made it more simple.
“US Opens are always very grand, and coming in, Erin Hills definitely lived up to the expectations.
“Everything's big – the fairways, the walks, need big drives, but it's an incredible golf course.”
Im opened with nine consecutive pars and birdied four of the next five holes in a bogey-free round, while Kim played a six-hole stretch from the 16th in four under.
Yin made five birdies from the eighth to the 16th before following a bogey at the 17th with another birdie on the final hole.
