Leona Maguire makes encouraging start to season in Tournament of Champions
Leona Maguire. Picture: Info
Leona Maguire made five birdies in a two-under 70 to get her 2025 season off to an excellent start in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Florida.
Back in action at Lake Nona after taking a two-month break after what she described as an “okay” 2024, the world number 54 needed a birdie at the last to sit alone in second place.
But while she finished with a bogey six to share fourth place on two under, she ended the day with just three players ahead of her in the 32-strong field.
“Any day you're under par, it's always a good start to the year,” Maguire said. “Gave myself a few chances. Putted pretty nice today. Left a few out there, I would say, but overall, pretty happy with the start.”
She also missed just one fairway after working during the off-season with coach Shane O’Grady on tidying up an aspect of the game that caused her problems last season.
“I took advantage of the par-5s today apart from 9. Working on a few things,” she added. “Obviously, still fine-tuning. It's nice to get a test here to see where the game is at.
“Drove the ball pretty well today, which I didn't quite do well enough last year. Made a bit of progress on that. Holed a few nice putts. Yeah, overall it's pretty good. Not too rusty. I would say chipping was a little bit rusty today at times. Not bad for the first round of the year.”
Korea’s A Lim Kim shot an impressive, bogey-free seven-under 65 to lead by four strokes from compatriot Jin Young Ko and Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit.
But Maguire is well-placed to contend for a third LPGA win, missing just one fairway on a day when only three players broke 70.
The Co Cavan star ended the day in a ten-way tie for fourth with Haeran Ryu, Rio Takeda, Yuka Saso, Cheyenne Knight, Rose Zhang, Celine Boutier, Hannah Green, Pajaree Anannarukarn and Linn Grant.
Starting on the back nine, Maguire went out in one under as she mixed birdies at the 11th, 15th and 16th with bogeys at the 12th and 17th.
She moved into joint second after birdies at the third and strength before making six at the par-five ninth.
World number one Nelly Korda was tied for 14th after opening with a 71.
