Olivia Mehaffey and Leona Maguire carded rounds of 75 and 76 respectively as they struggled on day one of the Women’s US Open.
Maguire arrived at the Riviera Golf Course ranked 72nd in the world – a far cry from her top 10 place three years ago.
To that end she has turned to Tiger Woods’ former coach, Sean Foley, as she bids to arrest a slide down the rankings in an effort to find more distance and accuracy with her long game.
Maguire just made it under the cut-off point of the top 75 in world golf to secure her eighth appearance at the US Open.
The Cavan golfer posted two birdies at 11 and 14, bright spots in an opening round that saw seven bogeys on her card and a five-over finish.
Mehaffey is a stroke better off. Her day began with bogey-six at the opening hole, the first of five dropped shots, with her only birdie coming on ten.
American Jennifer Kupcho holds a one-shot lead after the first round.
The 29-year-old, whose previous major title came at the 2022 Chevron Championship, made seven birdies in a five-under-par 66.
That was one ahead of Korea’s Sei Young Kim, with Kim’s compatriots Minji Kang, Ina Yoon and Hyunjo Yoo joined by Mexico’s Gaby Lopez and Japan’s Hinako Shibuno on three under.
World number one Nelly Korda was two over for her opening round.
Additional reporting: PA