LEONA MAGUIRE WAS the best of the Irish on the first day of the Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in Lancashire. Maguire made a steady start and shot the first of her two birdies on the sixth. Korda, 28, is also seeking her third major of the year after claiming the Chevron Championship and the US Open. The Waterford man carded a round of 73 to sit three-over, as Peter Malnati holds the current lead on nine-under. Power began on the back nine and made a promising start with back-to-back bogeys on holes 10 and 11.