| -5 L-A Pace (SA); -4 R Yin (Chn), X Lin (Chn), B Henderson (Can); -3 W Meechi (Tha) |
| Selected others: -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 |
Ireland’s Leona Maguire is three shots off the lead after the opening round of the Women’s PGA Championship, the second women’s major of 2023.
The Solheim Cup player, 28, finished the morning wave with a share of the lead on two-under 69 before she was passed by the afternoon starters.
World number 193 Lee-Anne Pace of South Africa is the surprise leader after the opening round at Baltusrol, New Jersey.
The 42-year-old closed with four birdies in her final eight holes.
“I honestly did not expect to be leading the tournament after day one,” Pace said.
“It’s a very, very difficult golf course. To be in my position, I’m just really happy that I had a good score.”
Xiyu Lin and Ruoning Yin of China as well as Canada’s Brooke Henderson have a share of second on four under, with Wichanee Meechai of Thailand shooting a three-under 68.
Maguire is a shot further back and is tied with Ayaka Furue of Japan and LPGA rookie Celine Borge of Norway.
Maguire is one of the form players on the circuit after she stormed to her second LPGA Tour title on Sunday with a stunning back-nine 30 in a closing 64 to claim the LPGA Classic.
World number one Jin Young Ko of South Korea opened with a one-over 72 while Nelly Korda, the number two, struggled to a five-over 76 in her first start after taking more than a month off with back pain.
England’s Melissa Reid was the only British player one not to suffer an over-par round as she shot a level 73 – with Charley Hull and Georgia Hall sitting eight over and with work to do to make the cut.
Gemma Dryburgh of Scotland and another English player, Charlotte Thomas, are one over, with Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow a shot further back.
