Leona Maguire off to a flyer in Scottish Open with legendary caddie in tow

Irish Independent

5 days ago

Buoyed by her tie for seventh in the Evian Championship two weeks ago, the Co Cavan star holed a nine-iron for an eagle two on her opening hole, the 10th, and carded a five-under 67 to share the early lead with Japan's Rio Takeda, Spain's Nuria Iturrioz and new star Lottie Woad of England.
'Couldn't really ask for a better start,' Maguire said of her start with Morbey, who caddied for Ian Woosnam when he won the Masters in 1991 and is set to continue on the bag in next week's AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl.
'Holed out with a nine-iron on 10, our first hole today in pretty much perfect conditions for most of the front nine.'
Maguire went on to birdie the 17th, first and second for her 67 as she aims to contend for another major in next week's AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl.
'It's always a bonus when those sort of shots go in and hit the flag, even on 18 as well with my pitch in,' said Maguire, who made a hole in one in her last start in France.
'My approach is nicely dialled and first week, put in a new caddie. He was joking, he might as well have walked in after the first, but nice start to the feedback.'
Morbey has caddied for a string of stars, including Darren Clarke, José María Olazábal, Justin Rose, and Tommy Fleetwood, and his partnership with Maguire could become a permanent arrangement.
'He was working for Thorbjørn Olesen, who is also at my management company and just set it up,' Maguire said. 'He's a legend of the game. He's caddied for some big players.
'I have big shoes to fill, but it's nice to have his expertise and experience on the bag. It's his first time on the ladies, so it's still a learning adjustment for both of us, but I think we handled it pretty well day one.
'So far, so good. Take it one day at a time and see what we can do.'
Maguire has struggled to find her stride this season, but she felt her game was trending in the right direction heading into the KPMG Women's Irish Open.
After playing well in the Evian Championship and getting some links practice last week at Portmarnock, she was happy to take advantage of the gentle conditions at Dundonald Links early today.
'I think you never mind being one of the first out on links,' she said. 'Always try and take advantage of the more benign conditions where you can.
'I had obviously been playing well coming into the Irish, and it was a busy week and a bit tired and all the rest, but I suppose the energy of the crowd and all that sort of spurred me on as well. Try and ride the momentum coming off Evian last week.'
The wind did not get up for Maguire until late in her round, but she hopes this week's test will be good preparation for the final women's major of the season next week.
'I think bit by bit, you hope for good prep ahead of Porthcawl next week. So the linksier the conditions, the better,' she said
Maguire shares the clubhouse with Takeda, Iturrioz, and Woad, who won the KPMG Women's Irish Open by six shots and was third in the Evian Championship as an amateur before turning professional this week.
'Yeah, impressive,' said Maguire, whose former caddie, Dermot Byrne, is working for Woad this week.
'She's obviously riding the crest of a wave, and I played with her first two days of Evian. She's a great player and it's an exciting week, her first professional start.'
Maguire, Woad, Takeda and Iturrioz led by a shot in the clubhouse from world number one Nelly Korda and her American compatriot Jenny Bae, England's Liz Young, Australia's Minjee Lee and Switzerland's Morgane Metraux.
Castlewarden's Lauren Walsh struggled to hit fairways and was near the back of the field after dropping five shots in her last six holes en route to a five-over 77.