Nelly Korda and Leona Maguire finished the first round of the Kroger Queen City Championship two strokes behind the leader in their first LPGA Tour start since the Solheim Cup.
The pair were among 11 players who competed in the Solheim Cup last week at TPC Rivers Bend in Ohio, where both shot 67s in the first round to keep pace with early leader Ashley Buhai.
Buhai mixed eight birdies with a bogey to shoot a seven-under 65 and hold a one-shot lead over Gino Titicul and Yan Liu, with Korda and Maguire tied for fourth in an eight-player field that also included AIG Women’s Open champion Lydia Ko.
Korda won three of her four matches in Team USA’s 15.5-12.5 victory over Europe last week, their first Solheim Cup victory in seven years, and the world No. 1 overcame fatigue to start her bogey-free bid for her seventh LPGA Tour title this season.
“Everybody who played last week is going to be tired,” Korda said. “I’m just trying to take things one step at a time. I know my energy levels aren’t the best, but I’m still motivated.
Nothing is better than minimizing mistakes or not making any at all. Whenever I can play without a scarecrow, I always feel it makes you motivated. And I hope I can take this energy in the next three days.”
Last week, Maguire played only two games and played all five games in the previous two performances, but this disappointment was used as a motivation for a powerful start. Maguire states: “Solheim’s last pair I played 5 games. I was exhausted after Salheim. I’m very happy to be a little fresher this time.
Lin Grant began at the age of 69, with European teammates Charlie Hall, Alban Valence Ele and Madel Sagslem in the 2st and 1970s, and Lexy Thompson opened a 1 -year -old Lexy Thompson.
Rose Changn gained a 4: 0 score in the Solheim Cup, but he finished three heels in 73, but one of the two newcomers in the European team last week. Opened with the 74th loan.
