Golf

‘That putt was for Ireland’ - Leona Maguire becomes first Irish woman to win on European Tour

Maguire needed a birdie on the last to force a playoff but instead finds an eagle to take the title outright

Leona Maguire has won on the Ladies European Tour in London. Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty
Leona Maguire has won on the Ladies European Tour in London. Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty
Philip Reid
Fri Jul 05 2024 - 17:14

Leona Maguire’s trail-blazing knows no ends, with yet another milestone – that of the first Irish woman to win on the European Tour – marked on to her ever-impressive career Curriculum Vitae after a win in the Aramco Series tournament by PIF at the Centurion Club outside London.

The 29-year-old Cavan golfer has shown her steel and showcased her shot-making in winning on the LPGA Tour and in the Solheim Cup.

But this was different.

On a day where Maguire had to work and grind and think over each and every shot as the title first slipped from her grasp only for her to reclaim it, an eagle finish – hitting a wonder approach with a hybrid from almost 190 yards to inside 10 feet – enabled her to claim victory with a closing round 73 for an eight-under-par total of 211, one shot clear of Spain’s Maria Hernandez.

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Cue that trademark punching of the air in delight! Cue a hug from caddie Dermot Byrne! Cue spraying of champagne from twin sister Lisa!

“I was just trying to hit a good putt,” said Maguire of that putt for eagle on the 18th. “I knew no Irish player had ever won on the LET before. That putt was for me! That putt was for my family! And that putt was for Ireland!”

Indeed, further evidence of the ever-increasing conveyor belt of talent emerging from Ireland onto the women’s professional scene was provided by a stunning 65 final round from 23-year-old Kildare player Lauren Walsh, who finished in tied-third alongside Solheim Cup players Georgia Hall of England and Alison Lee of the United States. Walsh, in her rookie season, moved to 12th on the LET order of merit.

For Maguire, who started with a two stroke lead headed into the final round, it proved to be an eventful front nine which started with back-to-back birdies on the opening two holes only to unravel for a difficult stretch which included a double-bogey seven on the Par 5 sixth (where she drove wildly out of bounds down the right) and two three-putt bogeys on the fourth and eighth.

Headed into the back nine with her lead gone, and Hall and Lee looking to turn the screw, Maguire listened to the words of veteran caddie Byrne, who numbers Shane Lowry among his previous bags.

“Be patient, be patient,” came the mantra from Byrne and, for that run homewards in quest of the breakthrough LET title, Maguire’s body language spoke of someone intent on getting the job done. Just as she had done on the LPGA Tour. Just as she had done in the past two Solheim Cups.

On the 12th, she claimed a first birdie since the second hole where Maguire’s perfect drive was followed by a three-quarter wedge to two feet. And, although her approach over the back on the 16th led to a bogey, Maguire finished in style with that superb approach to eight feet for the eagle on the 18th to claim success and provide momentum headed into next week’s Evian Championship, the fourth of five Majors on the LPGA Tour calendar.

“I did it the hard way,” said Maguire, who picked up a winner’s cheque for almost $50,000, with an element of huge satisfaction in the manner of the success.

Philip Reid

Philip Reid

Philip Reid is Golf Correspondent of The Irish Times