Leona Maguire Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

LEONA MAGUIRE was thrilled to find her putting touch and fire a bogey-free 67 to soar to within two shots of the clubhouse lead in the AIG Women's Open as a Castlewarden's Lauren Walsh finished birdie-birdie for a 69 to move into contention for the amateur medal at Carnoustie.

Ranked 48th in the world, Maguire (26) has been in sensational form this season, and while she looks certain to be named in the European Solheim Cup team on Monday, she wants to do it in style by making her maiden LPGA victory a Major win.

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"I felt like I played really solid," said the Co Cavan star, who birdied the fourth, fifth and seventh, then picked up two more shots at the par-five 12th and 14th before getting up and down for par from sand at the 17th.

After opening with a 72, she is now tied for fifth place on five-under, just two shots behind clubhouse leaders Mina Harigae of the US, who shot 67, and 2018 winner Georgia Hall of England, who carded a 69 in fine conditions.

"I didn't feel like I did a whole lot wrong yesterday, but I just didn't hole any putts," Maguire said. "I spent a lot of time last night working on my putting and my stroke and got off to a really nice start today.

"It was nice to get a few birdies early and turn in under par and take advantage of the two par-fives coming in."
The Slieve Russell star is playing her 10th event in 14 weeks, but she feels she has plenty in the tank as he looks to follow in the footsteps of Pádraig Harrington, who won his first Major at Carnoustie in 2007 when he captured The Open.

"I guess we only play links golf twice a year now," she said. "Carnoustie is a proper golf course. Doesn't really matter what the weather is. There are tee shots out there you just have to stand up and hit a really good shot and for the most part, I've done that over the last two days, stayed out of all the fairway bunkers there, which was key, and yeah, you just have to pick your shots and execute really well.

"I feel good. We had planned for this. We knew this was always going to be a busy stretch coming off. So working with my team, with my strength and conditioning coaches and physiologists and all that, we knew Tokyo was going to be training with the heat and then quick turnaround with the travel. Took it fairly easy last week and kept the practise to a minimum and felt re-energised and good to go this week again."

As for her Solheim Cup campaign, she will likely be one of Catriona Matthews' six wildcards on Monday, but she wants to make sure with a big performance over the weekend.

"I think I've had the same approach to Solheim Cup all year," she said. "I feel like my golf results will take care of things like that. This is a big week. I want to do as well as I possibly can, and the better I do, the better it is for Solheim Cup. It's the last major of the year, so I'd like to finish on a high note."

She knows Carnoustie is arguably the world's toughest links but having seen highlights of Harrington's win many times, she's prepared for a tough mental test and glad to have an experienced caddie in Dermot Byrne.

"I suppose any year when The Open is on, they show highlight of Pádraig winning," she said. "That pitch shot is quite iconic, the one he was able to spin so nicely. And my caddie Dermot has been here for 20-odd years for the Dunhill and British Open, so it's nice to have that extra bit of knowledge there, as well."

Poor weather is forecast for the weekend, but while she's not looking to make life even more difficult, she'd welcome tougher conditions.

"Like I said, the golf course is tough as it is, but I suppose at the British Open you expect a little wind and rain maybe,” she said. "So yeah, I think it will be no harm."

Amateur Walsh, who makes her Curtis Cup debut at Conwy in Wales next week, followed an opening 74 with a 69 featuring five birdies with four of them coming in the last eight holes, including the 17th and 18th.

She's tied 29th on one-under and just two strokes behind leading amateur Louise Duncan of Scotland, who followed her opening 68 with a 73 to share 16th on three-under.

"I'm delighted to finish with two birdies as I hit two good shots into 17 and 18 and yes, finally got the putts to drop", said Walsh, who has her sister Clodagh on her bag.

"I played solid yesterday and today, and all I am trying to do is get it together. I wasn't the best of ball-striking days yesterday, but I was happy where my game was at, and I knew coming into today I could shoot a couple under and try and get myself back up the leaderboard and try and make the cut."

On her finish, she added: "On 17, I got it close to the burn yesterday, so I took one less club off the tee and hit a good hybrid into 15 feet and rolled that one in.

"Then 18 is all about hitting the fairway, and I hit a really good drive a foot into the rough and me and my caddie Clodagh said we'd club up with a five-iron from 171 I just cleared the bunker, and it rolled out to nine feet, and I knocked that one in.

"So a dream finish on those two holes, and overall I am happy with where my game is at. As I said, I played well yesterday, but it didn't show in the score. I am really happy with where my game is at."

A star for Wake Forest University, Walsh wants to join Maguire and Stephanie Meadow on the LPGA Tour in a few years.

"Coming into the week, I said I wanted to make the cut, but the whole week, in general, has exceeded my expectations," she said. "I just came in looking for experience and to soak up the atmosphere. These are the tournaments I want to be competing in and playing in a few years. To do that now as an amateur and get that experience is huge."

Her sister has been a huge help to her, keeping her calm when the putts weren't dropping.

"I was one over through nine and I had missed one or two short birdie putts and she was saying, look just stay calm, there are a lot of chances on the back nine with two par fives," Walsh explained. "So she kept me calm and really positive out there today, so it really paid off.