It was a great start for both Leona Maguire and Lauren Walsh as the Irish pair began their week’s in Las Vegas in fine form, as both posted a two-under-par 70 around Shadow Creek golf club to sit just three off the lead heading into round two of the ARAMCO Championship.
Maguire was quick out of the gates, as the 31-year-old made birdie at the par-4 second, before scrambing another birdie at the par-5 fourth.
Momentum was briefly haulted after a missed green saw the two-time LPGA winner make bogey at the par-4 sixth, but the Cavan native quickly bounced back with another birdie at the seventh.
Maguire made another bogey at the par-4 10th, but things then began to settle as she parred the next five holes before making a textbook birdie at the par-5 16th.
Maguire calmly plodded back to the clubhouse with a respectable 70, leaving her in a fine position to climb the leaderboard on Friday.
Meanwhile, Kildare’s Lauren Walsh will also be happy with her days work as the 25-year-old showed no sign of slowing down on the front nine, making four birdies to head into the back nine four-under-par.
Walsh seemed to have lost the run of herself midway through the back nine, as she made three bogeys in a row at 13 through 15, undoing all of her previous good work.
Needing some form, Walsh bounced back with a birdie at the 16th so settle the shakiness as she too posted a 70 to share T11 with her fellow countrywoman.
Making her LPGA debut, Dublin’s Anna Foster had a day of ups and downs as the 24-year-old posted a two-over-par 74 to sit T58 heading into Friday’s round.
Foster began her day with a bogey at the first and third, before snatching one back with a birdie at the par-3 eighth. Foster will be disappointed to have made a double bogey at the par-3 13th and to follow that up with a bogey at the 14th, but the Elm Park Golf Club representative will be happy with how she closed out her round, making two birdies at 17 and 18 to remain in contention for the weekend.
There is a trio of players tied at the top of the leaderboard as Lauren Coughlin, Nasa Hataoka and Miyu Yamashita all posted a five-under-par 67.
USA star Coughlin is enjoying her time in Vegas.
“I played really steady. I was hitting my numbers all day, and on. this course, if you’re hitting your spots and numbers, it will give you birdies If you miss them it can be very, very difficult,” said the 2024 ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open champion.
Major champion Yamashita began her first round on the 10th tee and dropped her only shot of the day on the 15th before making an eagle on 18.
“The course is really hard and there are a lot of doglegs, so you can’t always hit driver off the tee. With the firm conditions, it makes it even tougher, so the greens are firm and the fairways are firm too,” said Yamashita.
Three players are in a share of fourth place with Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim alongside American duo Jing Yan and Nelly Korda on four-under-par.
The second round will begin at 3 p.m. Irish time and there will be a cut to the top 65 and ties at the end of day two.
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