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Lee-Anne Pace holds a one-shot lead on five under after the opening day at Baltusrol Golf Club; Leona Maguire three back as she chases a maiden major victory; Watch the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship throughout the week live on Sky Sports Golf
Last Updated: 23/06/23 1:20am
Leona Maguire carded an opening-round 69 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
Leona Maguire followed an impressive LPGA Tour victory at the Meijer LPGA Classic by making a strong start in tough conditions at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
The Irishwoman, who played her last six holes in six under to claim a two-shot victory on Sunday, mixed four birdies with two bogeys to post a two-under 69 on Thursday morning at Baltusrol Golf Club.
Maguire, who has top seven finishes in her last three LPGA Tour starts, birdied the par-five last to join Japan’s Ayaka Furue and Norway’s Celine Borge – who bogeyed her final hole – in a share of the morning clubhouse lead.
“I was disciplined, stayed patient, hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens,” Maguire said. “Didn’t putt quite as well as I would have liked, but the greens were a touch slower. I gave myself quite a few chances actually, a few more than I expected to have.”
The afternoon starters enjoyed betting scoring, with Chinese pair Ruoning Yin and Xiyu Lin both carding bogey-free 67s and Brooke Henderson birdieing two of her final four holes to also get to four under.
Brooke Henderson won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in 2016
Pace opened with seven straight pars but followed a birdie at the eighth with three more in a five-hole stretch from the 11th to make it a four-way tie at the top, then took advantage of the par-five last to grab the solo lead.
Wichanee Meechai holds solo fifth on three and Maguire is in the group tied-sixth, with just 16 players breaking par on the opening day. Mel Reid was the pick of the English hopes as she started with a level-par 71.
World No 1 Jin Young Ko opened with a one-over 72, while Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson joining England’s Bronte Law in posting opening-round 76s.
Georgia Hall reached the turn in 43 on her way to a eight-over 79, with compatriot Charley Hull also in the same group after playing her first six holes in six over and then cancelling out a birdie at the eighth by bogeying three of her last six holes.
Watch the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday from 5pm on Sky Sports Golf and 10pm on Sky Sports Main Event.
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