LEONA MAGUIRE MADE a solid, if unspectacular, start to the first Major of the year with an even-par 71 finish on day one of the Chevron Championship.

The Cavan native is tied for 32nd place, six shots off joint leaders Jennifer Kupcho and Minjee Lee at Mission Hills Country Club in California.

Maguire’s three birdies were cancelled out by bogeys in a round which began in ideal fashion.

A birdie on the first was followed by par on the second to maintain that positivity but bogeys on the third and fifth dented that early progress.

She regrouped for the start of the back nine, birdying the par-four 10th, but a bogey on the par-three 14th prevented Maguire from building up a head of steam for the finish, although a third birdie on the par-five 18th will hopefully provide some momentum ahead of day two.

Play is continuing, with Jordanstown’s Stephanie Meadow beginning her round on the back nine. She was level par through her first 10 holes, a birdie on the par-5 11th the ideal confidence booster before a bogey five on the 18th.