Ricoh Women’s British Open: Leona starts well at Kingsbarns
Leona Maguire during the 2016 Espirito Santo Trophy. © USGA/Steven Gibbons
Leona Maguire holed a slick 15 footer for birdie at the 18th to lie just five shots behind Michelle Wie in the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns Golf Links.
The world amateur No 1 opened with a three-under 69 to share 17th place as Wie carded a course record eight under par 64 to claim a one shot lead over Korea’s I K Kim.
American Lindy Duncan is third on 66 with South Korea’s Chella Choi, Americans Lexi Thompson and Marissa Steen, Holland’s Anne Van Dam and English duo Mel Reid and Jodi Ewart Shadoff all sharing fourth place on 67.
Maguire, 22, birdied the sixth, eighth and 11th before sandwiching another birdie at the par-five 15th between bogeys at the 14th and 16th.
Olivia Mehaffey was tied for 73rd after a level par 72 featuring two birdies and two bogeys.
Wie, 27, posted nine birdies and a solitary bogey to shave one shot off the previous course record set by China’s Xiyu Lin at Final Qualifying for this Championship back in 2013.
Wie went out in the gentlest conditions first thing in the morning and skulled a lob wedge through the green at the second to record her only bogey of the day.
However, she followed that with birdies on the fourth, sixth and eighth to go out in 34 and then stormed home in six under par 30 with further birdies at the 11th, 12th 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th.
“That start got me a bit annoyed for a while but it was fun out there,” she said. “Any time you shoot a 64 on a course like Kingsbarns you’ve got to be happy.
“I think we’ve been very lucky with the British Open. We’ve played some great venues like Lytham and St Andrews and this is definitely one of the great ones as well.
"It was so gorgeous out there sometimes you get lost in the views. It’s just so spectacular. It’s a really fun golf course. I’m really proud of myself for taking advantage of the conditions this morning.”
