Steady start from Leona Maguire leaves her three shots behind the leaders at the AIG Women's Open

Leona Maguire carded a level-par 72 to lie three shots off the early clubhouse lead on day one of the AIG Women's Open at Walton Heath.

In advance of the final major of the season, Maguire admitted that it would be "a very different British Open test than we've had the last few years". Certainly a different test to the links course at Muirfield last year, with Walton Heath playing longer due to the recent wet conditions.

"You're just going to have been patient and take your chances where you get them," Maguire added.

The Cavan golfer was more steady than spectacular and she began with six straight pars, before making birdie on the par-four seventh. A bogey four on the ninth followed and then another dropped shot came on 14. Maguire, however, got back to level on 16 after a third shot from the deep bunker left her with a short birdie put which she duly tapped in.

Stephanie Meadow was one over nearing the end of her round. Amateur Anna Foster was among the later starters.

South Korea's Jeongeun Lee, Jaravee Boonchant from Thailand, Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen and French player Perrine Delacour share the clubhouse lead on three under after rounds of 69.

Additional reporting: PA

ROUND 1 LEADERBOARD