Leona Maguire sinks first LPGA Tour hole-in-one to share lead at Amundi Evian Championship

Rory McIlroy four off the lead at the Genesis Scottish Open

Ireland's Leona Maguire during Round One of The Amundi Evian Championship 2025 at Evian Resort Golf Club. Photograph: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Ireland's Leona Maguire during Round One of The Amundi Evian Championship 2025 at Evian Resort Golf Club. Photograph: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Leona Maguire found a new lease of life by the shores of Lake Geneva, as the Cavan golfer included her first ever hole-in-one on the LPGA Tour en route to signing for a stunning opening round 65 in the Amundi Evian Championship at the French resort which got her into a logjammed five-way tie for the lead.

Maguire’s ace came on the signature Par 3 second hole – her 12th hole of the round – where she took “a little bit off” an 8-iron and watched as the ball finished in the hole. “Pretty special,” said Maguire of what she termed a “pretty good highlight to the day.”

In the fourth of five Majors on the LPGA Tour, Maguire’s return to form – having endured a tough time in coping with the physical demands at last week’s Women’s Irish Open at Carton House – saw her share the lead with American duo Jennifer Kupcho and Andrea Lee, and Australia’s Gabriela Ruffels and Grace Kim.

Leona Maguire celebrate hitting a hole-in-one on the second hole. Photograph: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Leona Maguire celebrate hitting a hole-in-one on the second hole. Photograph: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

“We had really tough conditions at the Irish Open in the wind and stuff last week, so it was a nice break from that to have a pretty flat, calm morning this morning. I think as we were getting to the end of last week at the Irish Open we were paying attention to knowing what was coming up here. I think this is my sixth year here, so you know what to expect every year here,” said Maguire.

“You know you’re going to have to work the ball a little bit. You can use the slopes or fight against them. Yeah, for the most part did a really good job today,” said Maguire.

The 30-year-old had started her round with a bogey on the 10th but bounced back with a birdie on the 11th, one of five in her round, with the hole-in-one for eagle on the second providing the shot of the day.

In the Genesis Scottish Open – co-sanctioned on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour – Rory McIlroy closed with three straight birdies to turn his day around in signing for a two-under-par 68, four shots adrift of the quartet of Nico Echavarria, Jake Knapp, Sepp Straka and Victor Perez. Pádraig Harrington opened with a 69.

In the ISCO Championship in Kentucky, also a co-sanctioned event, Dubliner Conor Purcell signed for an opening two-under-par 68 to be inside the top-20, seven behind clubhouse lead Chan Kim of the US.

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Philip Reid

Philip Reid

Philip Reid is Golf Correspondent of The Irish Times