Leona Maguire showed why she is the number one amateur woman golfer in the world as she made a stunning start to her bid for the Ladies British Open Amateur title at Portstewart yesterday.
The 20-year-old Curtis Cup star from Slieve Russell, who is now a student at Duke University in North Carolina, produced some brilliant golf over the last six holes of her first qualifying round, collecting three birdies, an eagle and two pars on her way to a six-under-par 67.
“I think I have had a six under par at Portstewart before in the Irish Close Championship but the course the LGU have us playing on today is not quite the same as we played then,” Maguire said.
The Cavan star put herself in line for a good match-play draw by finishing the day just one stroke off the pace set by Swede Elin Esborn.
Her twin sister Lisa was off colour and is outside the qualifying positions with another round today.
Lisburn’s Paula Grant and Chloe Ryan of Castleroy after scores of 74 are in strong positions to make the knock-out phase. And in the last group to finish Olivia Mehaffey, the Royal County teenager who has swept the board in stroke-play events this season in Ireland,Wales and Scotland, also handed in a 74.
Mehaffey who had one blackspot, a double bogey on the ninth, birdied two of the last five holes to put herself in contention for a match-play berth.
Maria Dunne of Skerries and Lahinch’s Sinead Sexton need to improve following scores of 77 yesterday which put them in joint 74th place.
