Leona Maguire set a new course record in the opening round of the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic, taking the clubhouse lead following an excellent eight-under-par 64.
The Cavan native was in scintillating form in first round of the Ladies European Tour event and posted nine birdies with just the one dropped shot en route to the record score on the Nick Faldo-designed course.
Maguire was four under at the turn following consecutive birdies on the third and fourth, and replicated on the eighth and ninth.
In fact, the former Duke University star hit four birdies in a row as she began the back nine with two birdies before eventually dropping a shot on the 15th to drop back to five under.
.@leona_maguire -7 thru 16 holes @EmiratesGC 🌓 🙌🏻#ODMC @OMEGAGolfDubai pic.twitter.com/AjSKw7dqFy
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) May 1, 2019
But two more shots were gained on the 15th and 16th, and another on the final hole saw the former world amateur number one home in 64 strokes to enjoy the clubhouse lead.
"I guess I just need to play at 3 o’clock and then in darkness: that’s the way to go for me," said Maguire.
"I nearly had a hole-in-one at the eighth with my seven-iron. I was two inches short of winning an Omega watch, and it’s always nice when you hole those kind of shots. It was a real mix of nice putts and tap-ins, which makes it that little bit easier.
"I adjusted [o the lights] quite quickly, actually. It was a lot better than I thought. The lights went on when we were on 13 and 14, which were a little tricky and then I played the last four holes really nicely. It seems like night golf suits me. I thought it was great. I can’t really complain. A course record, eight-under-par and I was lucky that we had a good group as well. We had a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it.
"The 25 footer on 18 was probably the longest putt of the day. I holed long putts for par on one and two and I holed a nice birdie putt on the par five third, where I hit it past the pin and there was a lot of break, four or five feet of break, and it snaked in, which got me going.
"I had a 10-under-par 62 in college but this is my lowest round as a pro."
Maguire's twin sister Lisa is also in the field and opened with a three-over-par 75.
German golfer Olivia Cowan sits two shots off the lead on six under, Spain's Nuria Iturrious is third on five under par, while a group of three share fourth place on four under including Germany's Karolin Lampert, Scotland's Carly Booth and former Solheim Cup player, Sweden's Caroline Hedwall.
The tournament continues into the evening with the lights going on at the floodlit event.
🌟 BOOM 🌟 @leona_maguire sets the course record on the @NickFaldo006 designed course @EmiratesGC with a stunning 64 (-8) 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻#ODMC @OMEGAGolfDubai pic.twitter.com/K854RLBMX5
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) May 1, 2019
