Leona Maguire leads at Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic

The 24-year-old Ladies European Tour rookie, who only turned professional in June last year, carded nine birdies and a bogey in her eight-under-par round, part of which was played under the lights on the Faldo course.

She told www.ladieseuropeantour.com: “I guess I just need to play at 3 o’clock and then in darkness, that’s the way to go for me.

“I had a 10-under-par 62 in college but this is my lowest round as a pro.

“The 25 footer on 18 was probably the longest putt of the day. I holed long putts for par on one and two and I holed a nice birdie putt on the par five third, where I hit it past the pin and there was a lot of break, which got me going.

Maguire’s twin sister Lisa is also in the field and opened with a three-over-par 75.

Germany’s Olivia Cowan sits two shots behind Maguire.