Leona Maguire recovered from an early double-bogey to sign for a battling opening two-under-par 70 in the Kroger Queen City championship in Cincinnati, Ohio, as Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, the world number nine, assumed the clubhouse lead with a 65.
Maguire – with top-10s in each of her last three appearances on tour – ran up a seven on the par-five 12th hole, having started on the 10th, but responded in style with a run of four successive birdies before her hot run came to an end with a bogey on the 17th.
The Cavan golfer then ran off six straight pars before getting back on the birdie trail with a three on the sixth, only to suffer another bogey on the eighth and closed with a finishing birdie on the ninth.
Maguire, ranked 15th in the Rolex world standings, has enjoyed a great season so far and is playing back-to-back weeks in Ohio ahead of headlining the KPMG Women’s Irish Open at Dromoland Castle, Co Clare, in a fortnight’s time.
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Stephanie Meadow, seeking to end a run of three missed cuts on tour, had four birdies and three bogeys in opening with a one-under 71.
Mexico’s Gaby Lopez signed for an opening 68 in her bid to win in successive weeks after lifting the Dana Open last week, but admitted to “coming in off a little bit [of] nerves and stress and also tiredness. I haven’t slept well the last couple of nights.”
