Los Angeles (AFP) - Leona Maguire, who last year became the LPGA's first winner from Ireland, will try to defend that crown when the LPGA Drive On Championship begins Thursday at Superstition Mountain.
Maguire's breakthrough victory came at Crown Colony in Fort Myers, Florida, a three-stroke triumph over American Lexi Thompson.She will seek a repeat at the event's new home in Gold Canyon, Arizona.
"Been a busy week, a lot extra things to do, but a good problem to have I suppose," Maguire said."And nice to be here in the desert.Very different to Fort Myers."
World number 12 Maguire began her year with a share of ninth at the season-opening Tournament of Champions and level sixth in Thailand before sharing 20th at the Women's World Championship earlier this month in Singapore.
"Played really nice golf," Maguire said.So hopefully I can build on that momentum this week."
With her best major finish share of fourth in last year's Women's British Open, Maguire is concentrating on getting ready for the year's first women's major at the Chevron Championship in Texas in late April.
"That's where the focus is," she said."Just try get a few solid of weeks of momentum.When it's been stop-start it's hard to get momentum, so trying to bring those sort of things we've been working on in practice to tournament golf.
"Trying to get as much golf under my belt as possible before then," she said.
"Just trying to put myself in position, move myself as high up the leaderboard each week as I can and put in those positions to be ready for Chevron."
This week's $1.75 million event marks the first full-field tournament of the LPGA campaign with 132 players chasing the trophy.
"Haven't seen this many people in quite a while," Maguire said."Some of the girls I haven't seen since sort of October, November of last year.So nice to catch up with everybody and see what they've been doing over the off-season.
"It's like first day back at school again almost and everybody has new golf bags and new clothes and all the rest.Plenty to catch up on.
"It's nice to see everybody excited and ready to go for the new season."
The desert course offers paradise for drivers but tests on the greens.
"I think course management is going to be a big thing this week," said Maguire."It's pretty wide open off the tee.You can hit it pretty much anywhere, but around the greens it's going to be tricky.
"So hitting a lot of greens and trying to take advantage of them.The greens are rolling pure, so trying to hole as many putts as possible this week."
