Leona Maguire cruised dwelling in three underneath par however a gap 69 left her six pictures behind Jasmine Suwannapura within the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
The Thai star (31) made eight birdies in a bogey-free spherical at Pinnacle Nation Clu to open up a one-stroke lead over China’s Liqi Zeng, Spain’s Carlota Ciganda, South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai and Mexico’s Maria Fassi.
Beginning on the again 9 in winds gusting to 30mph, Maguire adopted seven pars with a bogey on the eighth to show in a single over.
However she discovered her vary coming dwelling, reeling off 4 birdies, together with two to complete, to share forty first place in Rogers.
Suwannapura’s 63 was her lowest on tour because the 2023 Maybank Championship and she or he was happy along with her efforts.
“Me and my husband been having enjoyable on the market,” she stated. “Couple holes I ask him to have a look for me. We make two birdies from that, and he received tremendous excited.
“We simply have enjoyable on the market. Maintain the momentum going. We actually performed with the wind in the present day. Bought fairly gusty, too.”
Suwannapura, who leads the sector after hitting 17 greens in regulation, birdied the primary, fifth and seventh earlier than including 5 birdies on the again 9, together with 4 in her final six holes.
“I believe it is ranging from final week I believe every little thing coming, getting higher with my irons, have extra confidence.
“It is in direction of the tip of the yr and my purpose is to be enjoying CME and get to see my mother and father in Thailand strolling with me [at the Honda LPGA Thailand in 2025],” stated Suwannapura, who entered the week ranked seventy fifth within the Race to CME Globe.
Zeng, Ciganda, Buhai and former College of Arkansas Razorback Fassi are shut behind after carding seven-under 64s to take a seat in a tie for second.
“I performed excellent final week in Cincinnati,” Fassi stated after making ten birdies in her lowest spherical on tour.
“We had a nasty day on Saturday, however total, I do know my recreation is nearly as good because it’s ever been. “I believe my thoughts and my coronary heart are additionally nearly as good as they’ve been in a very long time. So I am simply completely satisfied we’re seeing a few of these outcomes that we would like.”
Rookie Zeng (18) carded the most effective spherical of the afternoon wave as she seems for her maiden win.
“I am feeling actually fortunate after in the present day,” stated Zeng. “There have been plenty of probabilities on [my] entrance 9 that I received a maintain of.
“Additionally just a few minor errors that occurred, however I used to be capable of save them. “Bogey-free spherical is all the time a motive to be completely satisfied.”
Dottie Ardina, Yu Liu and sponsor’s invitation Maria Jose Marin are tied for sixth in six-under.
Defending champion Haeran Ryu sits in a tie for forty second alongside Maguire after two-under 69s whereas successful Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis, who introduced her retirement following the 2024 season, opened with a one-under 70 to lie tied for 62nd.
