Leona Maguire is six shots off the early lead after the opening round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
Maguire carded a two-under round of 69 to share 42nd place at Pinnacle Country Club and she has a lot of work to do to get herself into contention for Sunday.
The Cavan star made the turn in three-under with four birdies, including back to back on 17 and 18 and just one bogey. However a back nine of eight pars and a dropped shot on the 8th stalled her momentum.
Following a first-round 63, Jasmine Suwannapura jetted into the top spot to hold a one-stroke lead over four players at 8-under. The round is the 31-year-old’s lowest since the 2023 Maybank Championship, as she holds her third career 18-hole lead.
“Me and my husband been having fun out there. Couple holes I ask him to take a look for me. We make two birdies from that, and he got super excited,” said Suwannapura. “We just have fun out there. Keep the momentum going, we literally played with the wind today. Got pretty gusty, too.”
Suwannapura, who sits tied for first in greens in regulation hit through 18 holes (17), made eight birdies en route to her bogey-free day in Arkansas. She opened with a one-putt birdie on her first hole of the day, and notched two more on Nos. 5 and 7 before the turn. Her last five birdies came on the back-nine, with four in her last six holes including Nos. 17 and 18. In total, she went 3-under on the four par-5s on Friday, a trait she looks to continue through the weekend.
“I think it’s starting from last week I think everything coming, getting better with my irons, have more confidence. It’s towards the end of the year and my goal is to be playing CME and get to see my parents in Thailand walking with me [at the Honda LPGA Thailand in 2025],” said Suwannapura, who entered the week ranked No. 75 in the Race to CME Globe.
Liqi Zeng, Carlota Ciganda, Ashleigh Buhai and the former University of Arkansas Razorback Maria Fassi are close behind after carding 7-under 64s to sit in a tie for second. Fassi, who is playing in her eighth Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, is coming off a season-best T19 finish last week in Ohio, her first made cut since the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship where she finished T60. Her 64 ties her second-lowest round ever on Tour, and is her best score since the 2022 ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.
“I played very good last week in Cincinnati. We had a bad day on Saturday, but overall I know my game is as good as it’s ever been,” said Fassi, who recorded nine birdies on the day including three straight on Nos. 10-12. “I think my mind, my heart is also as good as it’s been in long time. So I’m just happy we’re seeing some of those results that we want.
Zeng carded the best round of the afternoon wave of players. The 18-year-old rookie is not only looking to become a Rolex First-Time Winner, but earn her first top-20 finish on Tour. Her 64 bested her previous career-low score by three shots thanks to seven birdies, with five made between Nos. 14-18.
“I’m feeling really lucky after today,” said Zeng. “There were a lot of chances on [my] front nine that I got a hold of. Also a few minor mistakes that happened, but I was able to save them. Bogey-free round is always a reason to be happy.”
Dottie Ardina, Yu Liu and sponsor invite Maria Jose Marin are tied for sixth at 6-under. Marin, the reigning SEC Freshman of the Year on the Razorback women’s golf team, is making her LPGA Tour debut with her dad on the bag. “It felt amazing to play my first LPGA here in Arkansas in front of all the Razorback fans. It means a lot to represent the university and to call the Hogs on 17,” said Marin. “I feel really proud of myself and it just felt amazing.”
Arkansas alum Gaby Lopez and U.S. Solheim Cup stalwart Megan Khang, who is making her first Tour start since going undefeated at the Solheim Cup, are among five players tied for ninth at 5-under. Defending champion Haeran Ryu sits in a tie for 42nd after a 2-under 69, as well as 2014 Walmart champion and winning Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis, who is making her 18th appearance in the championship. Ally Ewing, who announced her retirement following the 2024 Tour season, opened with a 1-under 70 and is currently tied for 62nd.
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