Leona Maguire leads a major for the first time at the KPMG Women’s PGA

SPRINGFIELD, New Jersey — Leona Maguire’s Irish village threw a parade in her honor when she led Europe to a Solheim Cup victory two years ago. The highlight, she said, was that her 96-year-old grandmother, Kathleen, got to ride in the passenger seat beside her, soaking in the scene of well-wishers cheering them on after a prolonged period of strict lockdown.

Imagine what they’d do if she became the first Irish woman to win a major.

Maguire, hot off her second career victory at last week’s Meijer LPGA Classic, leads a major championship for the first time in her career at the KPMG Women’s PGA. The former Duke star shot 3-under 68 on another rainy day in Jersey to pace the field at 5-under 137. Her 2021 Solheim Cup partner at Inverness, Mel Reid, shot 67 to pull into a share of second with rookie Celine Borge of Norway and China’s Xiyu Lin.

Two-time major winner Minjee Lee sits two back at 3 under with Lee-Anne Pace, a 42-year-old who got into the ShopRite LPGA Classic two weeks ago and played her way into this event with a T-30 finish there.

Maguire, who last Sunday credited Padraig Harrington’s help with her short game last summer in helping her win the Meijer, became the first Irishwoman to win on the LPGA last season.

“I think Ireland as a country punches well above our weight when it comes to golf,” said Maguire, “and it’s nice to have the guys looking out for me, Padraig, Paul (McGinley), Shane (Lowry). All of the guys have been very good to me, and very appreciative of all of that.”

She celebrated that victory with her team on Monday at Ruth’s Chris, where she had steak and her favorite side dish, sweet potato casserole. Maguire and her caddie reminisced about that dinner during the worse-than-usual wait times between shots.

“I think the big thing today was staying really patient,” said Maguire, “given that we were in a two, jam-packed in a field that wasn’t really moving. Did a good job at sort of staying — concentrating and sort of warm when I needed to. It kind of kept the momentum going.”

Maguire played in a twosome with Hinako Shibuno on Friday after their third, Austin Ernst, withdrew after the first round. Ernst recently announced her retirement from the LPGA due to a lingering neck injury.

A total of 79 players made the cut. Nelly Korda, No. 2, was the biggest name to miss the weekend after rounds of 76-77. Atthaya Thitikul, Jennifer Kupcho and Lilia Vu also went home early. Lexi Thompson birdied four of the last five holes to avoid a similar fate.

Reid told her wife Carly last September that she was going to take a job in the media and quit golf. She’d been dealing with an overuse injury to her right wrist and thought it might be time to walk away. Time with her mental coach Duncan McCarthy, however, helped her hit the restart button after taking a medical leave from the tour.

More: Nelly Korda, Atthaya Thitikul lead list of big names to miss the cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

“I think I had six events to play well to get reshuffled after Founders,” said Reid. “I think I birdied the last at Founders to make the cut on the number, and it’s funny, that was huge for me. Then I finished 27th or 25th or something, which kind of reshuffled me back into stuff, which kind of took a little bit of pressure off.”

Reid and her wife are expecting their first child later this year. That has also increased her hunger to succeed.

The game can, at times, feel like an obsession to the fiery English player. Being constantly switched on, in analyzing mode, left her feeling drained.

“So we’ve done a really good job, not perfect, but kind of when I’m at the golf course, I’m Mel the golfer, very professional, get my work done, very present,” she said. “When I’m at home, I’m present with my friends, with Carly, whatever it is I’m doing, and we’re just trying to separate that.”