Stephanie Meadow and Leona Maguire well-placed after opening ...

IRISH duo Stephanie Meadow and Leona Maguire are on the heels of the leaders after day one of the AIG Women's Open at Walton Heath.

Ally Ewing of the USA leads the way after a four-under round of 68 but Meadow is only three shots off the lead, with Maguire a further shot back on a packed leaderboard for the final Major of the year.

Meadow began with six straight pars, before making birdie on seven. She bogeyed 11 and 15 but fired successive birdies on 16 and 17 to sign for a round of 71.

Maguire also began with six straight pars, before making birdie on the par-four seventh. A bogey four on the ninth followed and then another dropped shot came on 14.

The Cavan lady, however, got back to level on 16 after a third shot from the deep bunker left her with a short birdie putt which she tapped in for a round of 72.

Irish amateur Anna Foster was among the later starters and finished with a disappointing round of 87.

Ewing, meanwhile,  had five birdies, an eagle and three bogeys in her 68 and leads by one from South Korea's Jeongeun Lee and Amy Yang, Jaravee Boonchant from Thailand, Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen and French player Perrine Delacour.

Defending champion Ashleigh Buhai is two over alongside England's Georgia Hall and France's Celine Boutier, who is chasing a third straight tournament win.

Earlier, Spain's Carlota Ciganda had carded three birdies to set a clubhouse target of two under par.

Ciganda had been disqualified during the recent Evian Championship for refusing to accept a two-shot slow-play penalty.

The 33-year-old would not amend her card after her appeal was rejected and was therefore disqualified for signing for a score lower than actually taken.