Maguire and Meadow looking for Needles in a haystack

Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow will take a walk among the Pine Needles this week as they both go in search of a first major victory in the US Women's Open in North Carolina.

The second women's major of the year returns to Pine Needles Golf Club for the fourth time - boasting a record prize fund of $10million - and Cavan native Maguire will be looking to put an average performance at April's Chevron Championship behind her.

Maguire finished in a tie for 39th on two-under-par in California, some distance off the eventual winning score of -14 set by American Jennifer Cupcho.

Antrim star Meadow will have returned from the Chevron somewhat more content than her countrywoman, having finished a shot better off in a tie for 35th - although her final-round 73 may have left something of a bitter taste.

Maguire's LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year performance in 2020, bolstered by her stunning Solheim Cup debut last September have seen the 27-year-old creep into the serious conversations when the big trophies are being handed out.

She franked the form with her maiden LPGA Tour win in early February, taking the Drive One Championship by three strokes from America's darling of the galleries, Lexi Thompson.

That enthusiasm is tempered however, by the undeniable fact that Maguire's record in this most testing of championships is poor, to say the least - three attempts, three missed cuts.

If history has shown us anything, the exacting Pine Needles layout is sure to produce a most worthy winner.

The last time the US Open came to the venue, in 2007, American Cristie Kerr had two shots to spare over the field on a not-too-shabby five-under-par.

Before that, in 2001, Australia's Karrie Webb dominated the field - and the golf course - with an