Women’s PGA Championship: Leona Maguire three behind Lee-Anne Pace

Women’s PGA Championship: Leona Maguire trails Lee-Anne Pace by three strokes

Lee-Anne Pace’s highest achievement in a major tournament was tying for sixth place at the 2015 Evian Championship.

First-round leaderboard of the Women’s PGA Championship:
-5: L-A Pace (SA)
-4: R Yin (Chn), X Lin (Chn), B Henderson (Can)
-3: W Meechi (Tha)

Notable players:
-2: L Maguire (Ire)
Level: M Reid (Eng)
+1: G Dryburgh (Sco), C Thomas (Eng)
+2: S Meadow (NI)
+4: J Ewart (Eng), L Davies (Eng)
+5: B Law (Eng)
+8: C Hull (Eng), G Hall (Eng)

Full leaderboard

Leona Maguire from Ireland finds herself three shots behind the leader after completing the opening round of the Women’s PGA Championship, the second major tournament of the year for women’s golf in 2023.

Maguire, a 28-year-old participant in the Solheim Cup, began the morning session strongly, sharing the lead with a score of two-under 69. However, her position was overtaken by the players teeing off in the afternoon.

Surprisingly, Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa, ranked 193rd in the world, emerged as the leader after the first round at Baltusrol in New Jersey. The 42-year-old finished her round with four birdies in the last eight holes.

“I honestly didn’t anticipate being in the lead after day one,” said Pace. “The golf course is extremely challenging. I’m just really happy that I managed to achieve a good score and be in this position.”

Xiyu Lin and Ruoning Yin of China, along with Canada’s Brooke Henderson, share the second spot with a score of four-under, while Wichanee Meechai of Thailand shot a three-under 68.

Maguire trails by one stroke and is tied with Ayaka Furue of Japan and LPGA rookie Celine Borge of Norway.

Maguire has been in excellent form, capturing her second LPGA Tour title on Sunday at the LPGA Classic with a remarkable back-nine score of 30, closing with a round of 64.

World number one Jin Young Ko from South Korea opened with a one-over 72, while Nelly Korda, ranked second, struggled with a five-over 76 in her first appearance after a month-long break due to back pain.

Among the British players, Melissa Reid was the only one to shoot an even-par round, finishing with a score of 73. Charley Hull and Georgia Hall struggled, both sitting at eight-over and needing to improve to make the cut.

Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh and another English player, Charlotte Thomas, finished at one-over, while Stephanie Meadow from Northern Ireland trailed by one stroke.

In other news, “How will Princess Georgiana cope Down Under?” is a riotous royal comedy starring Catherine Tate, and Panorama is investigating why there are so few electric cars on the roads in the UK, prompting the question of whether it’s time for more people to consider purchasing an electric vehicle.

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More about golf championship

• Women’s PGA Championship Leaderboard
• Official Women’s PGA Championship Website
• LPGA Tour Official Website
• Solheim Cup Official Website
• Baltusrol Golf Club