Two European stars made big moves Friday at Lake Nona, as both Leona Maguire and Linn Grant jumped into contention heading into the weekend.
Day one of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions was dominated by major champion A Lim Kim, who opened up a four-shot lead over Jin Young Ko and Patty Tavatanakit.
Maguire and Grant were both sitting five back at -2, but had improved second rounds, as did much of the field.
Grant was the earliest contender, shooting -5 Friday, finishing strong with birdies on two of her last three holes. In total she had four birdies, an eagle and a bogey. Grant took advantage of her long distance, but sprinkled in more accuracy, hitting one more green and fairway than she did in round one.
Speaking of finishing strong, Maguire was electric on the back nine. After a solid -2 start, Maguire birdied six of the last seven holes. The only one she didn’t birdie, the par 3 13, she double bogeyed.
The two Solheim Cup stars are looking to start their seasons strong after not having an LPGA Tour win in 2024. They each sit three strokes back of A Lim Kim.
About the Author
