Leona Maguire putts lights out to hit route 66 in New Jersey

Leona Maguire produced one of her career-best putting performances on poa annua greens to open with a six-under 66 that left her just three shots off the lead in the Cognizant Founders Cup in New Jersey.

The Co Cavan star got off to a slow start at Upper Montclair Country Club when her drive at the second took a bad bounce into water and she ran up a bogey six.

But refreshed after a two-week break, the world number 23 birdied four of her next five holes to turn in 33 before picking up three more birdies on the back nine.

It all added up to 66 that left her tied for third, just three shots behind young superstar Rose Zhang, who’s nine-under 63 gave her a two-shot lead over Sweden’s Madelene Sagstrom.

“Yeah, I felt like I played really nice,” Maguire said. “I gave myself a lot of chances and holed some nice putts. This is probably the best I’ve ever putted on poa annua grass, which is nice for a change.”

She added: “They’re actually rolling nice for poa annua even, especially in the afternoon. I thought they would be a bit more bumpy. They’re slick.

“You have to battle uphill, staying on the right side of the pin. For the most part, I did that today, so that was a nice bonus.”

Maguire (29) is seeking her third LPGA win and her first this season and she’s hoping some “Irish weather” might prove an advantage.

“Obviously the weather is a little bit unpredictable for the next few days,” she said. “Bit of a Irish weather maybe in store. Hopefully not too Irish.

“But I think we’re going to get a little wet tomorrow morning, so keeping the ball on the fairway and out of the rough is going to be key.”

She was certainly happy to start so well after recharging her batteries with a two-week break after missing the cut in The Chevron Championship in her previous start.

“Yeah, it’s nice,” she said. “Two weeks off, so coming in here recharged and refreshed, which is nice.

“Felt like the first sort of bit of the year was really condensed and really packed and a lot of travel, so nice to get sort of those two weeks of a breather to work on a few things and recharge the batteries a little bit and come in here fresh.”

As for her game, she was also pleased to score so well.

“I didn’t drive it as well as I would’ve liked to but gave myself a lot of chances with my irons into the greens and holed some nice putts early which gave me some momentum,” she said.

“I feel like if you drive it well it opens up a lot of chances. Once you start missing fairways it gets really difficult, really fast.

“I’m kind of surprised the scoring is as low as it is, but at the same time, if you’re giving yourself those chances, the par-fives are gettable and things like that.

“So there will be people making eagle. It’s one of those things; if you play well, you think it’s not too bad. If you start missing a few shots it creeps up on you really fast.”

World number one Nelly Korda was tied for 18th after opening with a three-under 69 in her bid for an incredible sixth successive LPGA win.

But it was a tougher day for Stephanie Meadow, who could not build on an eagle three at her third hole and signed for a two-over 73 that left her tied 89th.

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