MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 17, 2021

Leona Maguire

Blythefield Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. A bogey-free 7-under 65 on day one. First time seeing Blythefield Country Club this week. What suited your eye so well?

LEONA MAGUIRE: It reminds my a lot of home, a lot of golf courses that I would've grew up playing at home. Very green, some trees. Yeah, drove the ball really well today. Just sort of suited my eye quite well.

Tried to just build on that momentum I had last week in San Francisco.

Q. Bogey-free. What has been working really well especially to start out rounds as of late really hot?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, it was pretty just consistent. A lot of fairways, a lot of greens. I think I only missed maybe one green today and really took advantage of the par-5s, which really helps around here.

Most them we can nearly get in two, so you really have to really take advantage of those. Was hitting irons nice and, yeah, overall a pretty stress-free Thursday, which is nice to start the week.

Q. How does a stress-free round set the tone for you? I don't know how often it happens, but how does a round like this put you at ease for the next couple?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, it was a pretty quick turnaround from last week in San Francisco. Felt like my game was in nice shape from there, and it was just a case of seeing the golf course the last few days and trying to rest up and start this week afresh and try and pick up where I left off.

So really happy with my start, and, yeah, hopefully can get it going again tomorrow.

Q. Course has been renovated from years past. Obviously you haven't played it before. Do you think there is any advantage to the fact that this is your first time playing?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I don't think it does any harm. I know a lot of girls have been saying there is a bunker added here and there and trees have been removed and all of that. I'm just going gung-ho. I don't know any different. I'm not seeing maybe some of trouble that had been there or having to change lines off tees or clubs off tees.

Yeah, it's both my caddie and my first time here, so fresh eyes and fresh perspective, which is sometimes nice.

Q. So with some potentially bad weather the next couple days, how nice is it to get off to such a nice first round when you know you're going to have to shoot low to compete?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, it's one of those things were there are a lot of birdie chances out there. You know everybody is going to go low. You can't really stop and look behind you very much. You just have to keep your foot down and keep going.

Yeah, tomorrow's forecast looks a little iffy. Hopefully the rain can stay away. Yeah, just trying to give yourself as many chances as you possibly can, and whoever holes those putts really is going to be atop the leaderboard come the weekend.

Q. You carved a nice niche out for yourself at the top of the leaderboard early in tournaments lately. A couple hiccups here and there. What have you learned progressing in your second year out here in those moments to help you put kind of a full four rounds together?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, it was kind of the opposite last year. I didn't really start the event as strong and usually have a strong weekend. So kind of flipped that this year, so I just need to put the two together. Hopefully I can do that in the next few weeks.

Just getting more comfortable I think. I've been in a few big groups last few weeks especially, and really happy with how I've managed that and sort of stuck to my own game plan as well.

Been doing it for most the tournaments now. Just a case of trying to do it and, like I said, put four rounds together.

Q. You mentioned reminding you of home. Is there any particular course that comes to mind back in Ireland when you step foot out here?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, it's very similar to the courses we sort of get in Dublin. Tree lined, yeah, like Elm Hermitage, Elm Park, ones I would've grown up playing junior golf. I have an Irish caddie on the bag and he said the same.

It's nice when you sort of have that familiar ID even though it's a new place. So, yeah, a little warmer than home this week, but at the same time, it's nice to have those good pictures.

Q. When we were walking over here I mentioned to you it's pretty warm, and you said, Oh, there is some nice wind in some spots, some alleys. Where those alleys and does that add to the home feel?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, the wind, it was swirling a little bit when we got out on sort of 13, 14 and those holes.

But, yeah, the biggest adjustment from last week is the ball is a flying so much further this week. The ball wasn't flying at all in San Francisco.

Just adjusting the yardages to this week and getting used to seeing the ball travel and carry that bit farther, so adjusting back on that.