Leona Maguire and Jennifer Kupcho just a shot off the pace in Michigan

Leona Maguire. Picture; INPHO

Leona Maguire showed more form ahead of next week's KPMG Women's Irish Open when she teamed up with Jennifer Kupcho and opened with a three under 67 in the Dow Championship in Michigan.

Playing under the team name "The Irish Goodbyes", they followed a bogey at the second with four birdies in the opening foursomes to lie in a six-way tie for second, just one shot behind Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh and Australian Cassie Porter.

"Foursomes, it's always a game of patience," Maguire said. "Nice to hole quite a long one on 16. Had a nice one on three to bounce back after the bogey on two to get the round going.

"Other than that, it was pretty steady today."

Kupcho asked Maguire to play following the retirement of her regular partner Ally Ewing and reckons their games dovetail nicely.

"I think we're both very similar putters, very similar players in general," Kupcho said. "I obviously have a little bit more length than her, but other than that, we're pretty similar."

Kupcho's power was certainly a bonus for her former college golf rival.

"It was nice to take advantage of Jen's length on the par-fives," the Cavan woman said. "She hit it way down on three, which turned it into a par-four for me.

"Just tried to be patient and steady. It was up to me to drop a few. We'll see if we can do a few more as the week goes on.

"Overall, we've played a lot of golf together. We've known each other for over ten years, probably. That's why we've played a lot of golf together.

"We know each other's games pretty well. It's quite a comfortable pairing."
As for the team name, Kupcho said: "Our team name is Irish Goodbyes. That would be made up by my caddie Josh.

“He obviously knows me really well, and I do that a lot. And she's similar as well. It fits both of us."

Maguire added: "We fly under the radar and just dip in and dip out. It summed us up pretty well. And we've got a catchy song to tie in with it (NSYMC's Bye, Bye, Bye).

"We will not be doing the cool dance. Josh might."

After ending a run of four missed cuts in a row with a tie for 19th in the KPMG Women's PGA in Texas last week, Maguire is rounding into form ahead of next week's Irish Open at Carton House and enjoying Midland Country Club.

"I think it's a fantastic event," she said. "It's nice to see the community get behind it so much. There's a lot of kids out today. The golf course is in fantastic shape.

"It's a great part of the country. Jen's played well in Michigan; I've played well in Michigan. It's very similar to Ireland actually being so green and all the trees and everything, and everyone is so nice here, and the hospitality.

"The food has been great so far this week. It kind of has an elevated feel to it."