Nov 22,2024
Leona Maguire is five shots off the lead in a tie for 17th after making a solid start to the CME Group Tour Championship.
The Cavan native arrived at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples, Florida, having been handed an unexpected reprieve to take part in the 2024 LPGA Tour season-ending event where the world's top 60 players are invited to play for an $11 million purse with a $4million prize for the winner - the largest winner's cheque ever offered for a women’s golf event.
Maguire had looked set to sit out the showpiece event when she missed the cut at the ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge tournament last week.
But having narrowly managed to maintain her place in the top 60 of the rankings, the 29-year-old grasped the opportunity in Thursday's opening round, carding a three-under 69 - although she made an inauspicious start before finding form.
LEADERBOARD
Maguire, who had finished runner-up at the tournament in 2022 when the winning purse was a then-record $2m, was level par through the first three holes before falling foul of the par-4 fourth with a bogey.
However, it did not take her long to bounce back and a birdie on six got her back on an even keel.
The recovery continued apace as she made steady gains on the back nine, with a trio of birdies on 10, 14 and 17 to ensure she goes into Friday's second round inside the top 20.
South Korea's Na-Rin An leads the way on eight under after a bogey-free 64, with USA's Angel Yin one shot behind.
The latter's compatriots, Allisen Corpuz and Marina Alex share third place on six under.
An, 28, hit all 14 fairways in regulation and needed just 23 putts to getaround the course. She carded four birdies on each nine without a bogey.
Though a $4 million paycheck is enticing, she said her attitude this week is that a tournament is a tournament.
"I think that mindset is good for make the focus during my play," An said.
Yin, 26, was two over through four holes before turning things around. She got into red figures with three birdies before the end of the front nine, and she poured in four birdies between Nos. 10 and 14.
Then, at the par-5 17th, she punctuated her day with an eagle 3.
"Started out a little bit rocky just because I was trying to adjust to the golf course," the Los Angeles native said.
"Golf course is playing quite difficult with the early winds this morning, which I really like and I enjoy, because it's our last tournament and it's a huge purse, bigger than a major.
"Doesn't have a title of a major, but I think it deserves every bit ofdifficulty it brings to closing the season out."
Additional reporting: Reuters
