Maguire scorches into contention with sizzling second round in steamy Thailand
Leona Maguire of Ireland during the third round o the KPMG Women’s Irish Open. Credit: Tristan Jones / LET
Leona Maguire overcame scorching temperatures and stormed into contention for the Honda LPGA Thailand when she fired a five-under 67 in the second round at Siam Country Club Old Course.
The world number 27 began the day tied for 30th, six shots behind Taiwan's Peiyun Chien in temperatures of 32C (89F) but with a real feel of around 36C.
But she was excellent from tee to green on day two, rolling in six birdies to jump into a tie for tenth place on seven-under-par, just three strokes behind Sweden's Madelene Sagstrom, the in-form Thai star Patty Tavatanakit and Korea's Sei Young Kim.
Maguire, who hit all 14 fairways and missed just two greens in regulation, turned in two-under par when she sandwiched a bogey at the 13th (her fourth) between birdies at the short 12th and the par-four 14th before picking up another shot at the par-five 18th.
She then birdied the par-five first and closed the gap further on the leaders when she followed a birdie four at the seventh with her second birdie two of the day at the eighth.
Her Solheim Cup teammate Sagstrom and last week's Aramco Saudi Ladies International winner Tavatanakit also shot 67s to get to 10-under alongside Kim, who carded a 68.
“I think I got really tired,” said Sagstrom, who played her first ten holes in five-under before finishing with eight pars.
“I was just trying to hold on for dear life. Not necessarily. There are some tricky pins out there, but the heat should get to all of us.
"I think it's just trying to really stay in it. I felt like, okay, focus now. You're about to really fall apart if you don't do anything good. I'm happy that I kept it together in the end.
"Obviously, I would've liked another two birdies in the back nine, but I started so solid, so I can't complain.”
The trio of leaders top the leaderboard by one stroke from Switzerland's Albane Valenzuela, who shot a best of the day 65 to share fourth place with Thailand's Jaravee Boonchant and Korea's Hyo Joo Kim on nine-under.
Tavatanakit's win in Saudi Arabia was her first since she captured the ANA Inspiration in 2021 and she's working hard to maintain her energy levels in temperatures of 32C.
"I feel a little bit more fatigue coming off a strong play last week," she said. "Used a lot of the adrenaline back there. It's only Friday, and it's really hot, and my body feels like it needs a lot of rest, so I'm going to go ahead and do that.
"I am sure the golf will just take care of itself. I really like taking care of my body."
Overnight leader Chien followed her first-round 64 with a 72 to fall back into a tie for seventh on eight-under alongside Germany's Esther Henseleit and Japan's Ayaka Furue.
Maguire is in a seven-way tie for tenth alongside Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, Japan's Chisato Iwai, Americans Danielle Kang and Elizabeth Szokol, China's Xiyu Lin and the Canadian star Brooke Henderson.
