Leona Maguire will move forward to next month’s AIG Women’s Open with an added pep in her step after the 30-year-old Cavan player secured a tied-seventh finish in the Amundi Evian Championship, where Australian Grace Kim defeated Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul in a playoff.
For Maguire, a final round 67 for a total of 11-under-par 273 – three shots adrift – earned her a pay-day of $245,081 (€209,500). It gave the European Solheim Cup star a first top-10 on the LPGA since the season-opening Tournament of Champions and moved her up nine spots on the order of merit to 49th.
“I played some really good golf, really happy with how I played, probably the best golf I’ve played in a while,” said Maguire. “I knew my game was trending nicely coming into the week. This is a course that tests all aspects of your game, so a lot of positives to take out of the week.
“My approach shot is something I’ve been working quite a bit on, and they were really, really good this week,” added Maguire, who had completed a five-week stretch and will now take a week off before deciding if she will play in the Scottish Open, but with her eyes firmly set on the Women’s Open, the final Major of the season.
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Maguire’s finish gave her a fourth top-10 in a Major of her career and she intends to play some links golf on returning home to Ireland in prep for Royal Porthcawl.
“I won the British Am at Pyle & Kenfig [in 2017], which is across the road from Porthcawl. I played the Vagliano Trophy there in 2011. I don’t remember much of the course to be honest. But I will get in some links preparation in Ireland next week and be ready to go.”
English amateur Lottie Woad – who last week won the KPMG Irish Women’s Open – finished solo third which secured her a tour card on the LPGA Tour through the Leap pathway, although she remains unsure when she will actually take up the card. She still has one year left of college in Florida State.
“It’s really cool. It’s always nice to be the first to do something, so just grateful that I had the opportunity to do it,” said the 21-year-old from Surrey.
“Just relieved now, it was kind of wearing on me for a bit. I’m going to use next week at home with family and coaches to kind of discuss the options and then I’ll decide after that,” added Woad, who could conceivably turn professional ahead of the Scottish Open.
Kim, meanwhile, secured her breakthrough Major with an eagle at the second hole of sudden death to defeat world number two Thitikul.
“It’s a huge achievement for me. I’ve had a lot of doubts early this year. I was kind of losing motivation. I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team. Yeah, kind of had to wake up a little bit,” said Kim.
