Leona Maguire four off Tournament of Champions lead as she gets her 2023 LPGA off to solid start

Leona Maguire got her 2023 LPGA season off to a solid start with an opening 71 that leaves her four shots off the lead at the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida.

The Cavan native qualifies for the tournament reserved for event winners on the LPGA tour during the previous year courtesy of her historic maiden tour triumph at the LPGA Drive-On Championship last February.

And she began Thursday's opening round at the Lake Nona course from the back nine in steady fashion, with a birdie on the par-four 14th.

Another birdie on the second maintained that momentum but bogeys on five and seven dropped her back to level par before a birdie on her final hole of her round left the 28-year-old on one under and in a nine-way tie for ninth.

Canada's Brooke Henderson leads on five under after a 67, one clear of fellow major winner Nelly Korda.

Ashleigh Buhai, Charley Hull, Gemma Dryburgh and Wei Ling Hsu are tied for third on three under.

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