Maguire off to flying start as McKibbin and Murphy start well in Joburg
NAPLES, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 20: Leona Maguire of Ireland plays her shot on the third hole during the final round of the CME Group Tour Championship at Tiburon Golf Club on November 20, 2022 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Image
LEONA MAGUIRE gave herself a chance to finish a "fantastic" season on a high when she opened with a five-under 68 in the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open de España in Malaga.
The K Club touring professional (27) made an eagle and four birdies at Alferini Golf to share third place in the Ladies European Tour's €650,000 season-ending event.
Now ranked 11th in the world following her second-place finish behind Lydia Ko in the LPGA's $7 million CME Group Tour Championship on Sunday, the Co Cavan talent started on the 11th and followed early birdies at the 14th and 17th with her lone bogey of the day at the par-three 18th before playing her last ten holes in four-under.
"It was a really solid round," said Maguire, who birdied the third and fourth before making eagle at the par-five eighth. "I committed nicely to my targets. I drove the ball well, which you have to do out here, and it was nice to get that bonus eagle on eight to come in and finish with some nice momentum.
"I had a fantastic season on the LPGA, it was nice to finish that off with a second place over there and one last event of the year, hopefully, I can finish it off strong. It's nice to be back in Spain and there were quite a few Irish people out watching today, which was nice to have a little home support and my dad is here this week, so it's nice to have him here too and finish it off as well as I can."
Maguire was in a four-way tie for third with the Swiss Morgane Metraux, France's Anais Meyssonnier and Sweden's Linn Grant, the leader of the Race to Costa del Sol.
She's just two strokes behind England's Cara Gainer, who made nine birdies in a seven-under 66 to lead by one stroke from Spain's Carlota Ciganda.
It was also a good day for rookies Tom McKibbin and John Murphy in the DP World Tour's weather-delayed Joburg Open.
Holywood star McKibbin (19) made seven birdies at Houghton Golf Club, but bogeys at the seventh and 18th and a double bogey six at the 12th saw him sign for a three-under 68 that left him tied 18th with Murphy, who made four birdies and a bogey in 11 holes before play was suspended following a second lightning stoppage.
They're five strokes behind Yorkshireman Dan Bradbury (23), who made the most of a sponsor's invitation and fired two eagles in a course record-equalling, eight-under-par 63 to lead by one stroke from Germany's Nick Bachem in an event offering three spots in The Open at Hoylake in July.