Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow were each straddling the cutline after round one of the Meijer LPGA Classic at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Michigan, but both should be safely through to the weekend after rounds of -3 and -2 respectively.
Maguire, who is defending champion after her incredible final-round performance in 2023 saw her claim her second LPGA Tour title, eagled the last in round one to get back on level terms with the course, and starting on the 10th in round two, birdied three of her opening nine holes to begin charging up the leaderboard.
Unfortunately, she was unable to keep the pedal down and seven straight pars on the front side saw the on-course leaders begin to fade into the distance again. Another birdie on the eighth opened the door for a grandstand finish, but unfortunately she’d give the shot back on the last to sign for a 69 and a -3 overall total, good for a tie for 32nd with the afternoon starters yet to get underway.
Meadow had also eagled the final hole in her opening round and it gave her a -1 total, and she traded two birdies with two bogeys on her opening nine to remain hovering on the provisional cutline as she turned for home.
Another bogey on the first cranked up the pressure, but she answered in style by reeling off three birdies-in-a-row from four through six to join Maguire in the clubhouse at -3.
With the provisional cutline now moving to -2, their tallies should be enough to secure weekend action and as Maguire proved last year, low scores are there to be shot and they could yet each play their way back into contention.
The lead currently lies with Ally Ewing and Grace Kim at -11 after rounds of nine- and seven-under respectively.
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