Good day for Maguire and Walsh in China as Donegan starts well Down Under
Leona Maguire
Leona Maguire made a solid start in the Blue Bay LPGA when she opened with a three-under 69 to lie just three shots behind China’s Mary Liu and Weiwei Zhang and South Korea’s Youmin Hwang in China.
The Co Cavan star turned in level par after making two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course on Hainan Island before picking up three shots in her last five holes thanks to birdies at the 14th, 15th and 18th.
Liu, Zhang and Hwang shot rounds of 66 to lead by a shot from China’s Zining An, American Auston Kim, South Korea’s Mi Hyang Lee and Germany’s Esther Henseleit.
It was also a good day for LPGA rookie Lauren Walsh as she opened with a 71 on her debut as an LPGA cardholder.
The Co Kildare woman was two over after bogeys at the first and fifth.
But she got back to level par thanks to birdies at the sixth and ninth and covered the back nine in one under as she sandwiched birdies at the 14th, 15th and 17th between bogeys at the 12th and par-five 18th.
Aine Donegan. Picture: Tristan Jones/LET
Maguire was tied for 14th with Walsh, joint 26th, but it was a tougher day for Stephanie Meadow in her first appearance on the LPGA Tour since last October.
The Jordanstown golfer (34) made three birdies, seven bogeys and a double bogey in a six-over 78 that left her tied for 98th.
On the Ladies European Tour, Aine Donegan continued her strong start to her rookie season at the Australian Women’s Classic near Sydney.
The Lahinch golfer made five birdies in a three-under 69 at Magenta Shores Golf & Country Club, where the Czech Republic’s Sara Kouskova fired the course record 64 in calm conditions , carding eight birdies to take a two-shot lead.
She led by two shots from New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori, Ecuador’s Daniela Darquea and Australia’s Kelsey Bennett.
Donegan was tied for 20th on three under, five shots off the lead, while Anna Foster made three birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey in a two-over. 74 that left her tied 83rd.
