Maguire shakes off jetlag and digs deep to keep her home dreams on track

Despite early bogey, Irish star lives up to hopes and hype to shoot five-under 67 and stay very much in contention at Dromoland Castle

Watch towers: Leona Maguire pictured playing the 11th hole on her opening round of the KPMG Women's Irish Open in Dromoland Castle Golf Club, Newmarket On Fergus, Clare today. Pic. Brian Arthur

She may not have brought her A game to the first round in Co. Clare but Leona Maguire did bring enough to suggest she will be in the mix for a cherished KPMG Women’s Irish Open title come Sunday evening.

Maguire, 27, gave the Ladies European Tour and other tournament stakeholders exactly what this event needed as the national Open came out of hibernation yesterday for the first time in a decade. The Irish star, who this season won her maiden title on the LPGA Tour and secured her best finish to date in a major at last month’s AIG Women’s British Open, had not appeared best primed to match her commitment to the reborn Irish Open with sparkling play. She had arrived home jet-lagged from a missed cut in Portland, Oregon, and faced into a fourth start in as many weeks.

Indeed, nor did a bogey at the opening hole, after a misjudged chip, inspire confidence that the celebratory nature of the event’s first renewal since Scotland’s Catriona Matthew triumphed at Killeen Castle in 2012 could be matched with a home winner a decade on.

Yet Maguire dug deep at Dromoland as sunshine replaced rain clouds in the afternoon and despite another bogey at the par-four fifth, birdies at the third, sixth, seventh and eighth holes sent her out in two-under-par 33 before three birdies across her final four holes of the day delivered a five-under 67.

The Cavan golfer will start her second round at 8:30am Friday morning just three strokes behind Lina Boqvist of Sweden who carded her lowest round of her LET career, a seven-under 65 to take the joint overnight lead alongside Alexandra Swayne of the US Virgin Islands.

There was still work to do last night as Maguire hinted at a ball-striking session on the range with her driver but there were no such qualms with the Irishwoman’s putter yesterday.

Making her luck: Leona Maguire scorecard holder pictured playing her opening round of the KPMG Women's Irish Open in Dromoland Castle Golf Club, Newmarket On Fergus, Clare today. Pic. Brian Arthur

“I didn’t have my best game today but you can always save it when you putt well and I'll get the driving straightened out this evening and go again tomorrow,” Maguire said following her 67.

“There’s a good mix of holes out there, some really good chances. It’s a bit shorter than what we play on the LPGA, they moved a few tee boxes around which was a little surprising but you have to deal with whatever is in front of you whether it’s the weather or a different golf course so just enjoy it as much as you can.

“Golf is all about momentum it doesn't take much for it to bounce here or there and a putt here or there so it was nice to get three birdies in a row on the front nine and hopefully the putter will stay warm for the rest of the week.

“The greens were rolling really well considering all the rain and an afternoon tee time so yeah just rolled it really well today, took advantage of the shorter holes and you really have to take advantage of those few coming in so nice to birdie three of the last four and give some momentum going into tomorrow.” 

The final birdie of the day was expertly constructed on the par-five 18th in front of the castle. Maguire hit three wood off the tee and a five hybrid from 182 yards out to give a chance at eagle but she was more than happy in the scheme of things to take one shot less.

“They moved that tee way up,” she said. “A completely different angle off the tee so it was trusting the yardage book and Dermot’s line on the tee shot that we could go way more right than we had been.

“Those sort of holes you have to take advantage of, it would have been nice to get the eagle but we’ll take birdie.

“I feel good, shooting under par helps, trying to do my very best this week, going to bed early trying to get up early but yeah I'm still not sure what time it is or where I am but we’ll be good for the weekend.” 

While her encouraging start has already heightened expectations that she could emulate Padraig Harrington in 2007, Shane Lowry in 2009, and Rory McIlroy in 2016 by landing an Irish Open, Maguire was more cautious after just 18 holes of what she hopes will be a 72-hole bid for home success.

“To win your national open is a big honour. Probably just below the majors I'd say. Rory has done it, Shane has done it, Pádraig has done it so it would be nice to give the home fans something to cheer about come Sunday but there’s a long way to go yet.”