Leona Maguire roars back into the mix in Saudi Arabia with scorching 64
Leona Maguire of Ireland during her second round. Credit: Mark Runnacles / LET
Leona Maguire put a nightmare day on the greens behind her and fired a bogey-free eight-under 64 to roar into contention for the $5 million Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by PIF.
The Co Cavan star had 37 putts in an opening 76 to lie 66th in the chase for a $750,000 pay, ten shots behind Thailand's Patty Tavatanakit on a day of 30 mph crosswinds at Riyadh Golf Club.
But after heading straight for the practice putting green on Thursday evening after three-putting three times in her last six holes, she had just 29 putts in her eight-birdie second round that featured three birdie twos.
"Yeah, really pleased," said Maguire, who was tied for fifth in the clubhouse on four-under, just two shots behind provisional leaders Nicole Broch Estrup of Denmark and Belgium's Manon de Roey.
"I think I was a bit frustrated yesterday, I felt like I fared a lot better than the score reflected and the conditions were very, very tough yesterday.
"It was just a case of hanging in there and yeah, it was nice to get off to a good start today and take advantage of the much calmer conditions.
"Obviously, some of the holes played a bit differently with the wind that yardage kind of went out the window a little bit yesterday. There's a lot more feel shots, and you had to be a bit more creative."
Starting at the 10th, the world number 27 followed a birdied the 13th with three in a row from the 15th to turn in 32, then came home in 32 as she picked up further shots at the second, fifth and the par-three sixth and eighth.
Pleased to move into the mix after hitting all 18 greens in regulation, she added: "I felt like I hit it quite nicely. I had good control over my ball, and then I hit 15 greens yesterday, I just didn't putt very well.
"So, 18 greens, then holed a few more putts. So that always makes life a little bit easier."
The Ballyconnell battler has won twice on the LPGA Tour, but while she's still seeking her first LET win, she's got lots to look forward to this season.
"It's going to be a hectic summer but a very exciting year with hopefully the Olympics, Solheim and the British Open at St. Andrews, so it doesn't get much better than that.
"Lots of golf to be played before then, but it's going to be an exciting summer."
