![Leona Maguire: ‘If I could save a shot a round next year that would be massive, so [I’m] just trying to make those small little improvements over the winter.’ Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/7KPEDRSVSQRCZJ5OTTUNP7F2SM.jpg?auth=21c97fc7d8434068b20399c292bbd583878e1b2ddfcbc1a08aaf7c879f3bce72&smart=true&width=1024&height=576)
Leona Maguire has no intention of resting on her laurels.
Just a matter of days past her 27th birthday, the Co Cavan golfer – who was the standout player on Europe's winning Solheim Cup team when breaking the all-time points record for a rookie – has remained on at her Orlando base in the United States to continue warm-weather work on her game with an eye on the season ahead.
While a winter visit home to Ballyconnell – with her granny's Christmas cake and pudding among the items on her wish-list – is planned, Maguire, who is currently 43rd in the Rolex world rankings after a hugely impressive season on the LPGA Tour which included two runner-up finishes, has her own expectations of where her journey next takes her as she seeks a breakthrough win on the main circuit.
"I made a lot of improvements this year. No drastic changes, just trying to make everything that little bit better, pick up a little extra yardage, get my wedges a little bit tighter, hole a few more putts. There is a very fine line between those finishing top-10 and finishing top-5 and being in contention to win," said Maguire, speaking on a conference call hosted by Davy, one of her sponsors.
“So if I could save a shot a round next year that would be massive, so [I’m] just trying to make those small little improvements over the winter,” explained Maguire, adding of her hopes for 2022 when she is guaranteed starts in all five Majors:
“ I’d like to be in contention in the Majors, I got my first top 10 in a Major this year in the Evian and would like to be in contention at the others a bit more and obviously put myself in contention to win, but whenever that happens, that happens.
“It was a really, really consistent year [in 2021] and that’s something I’ve always done throughout my career, so keep giving myself as many opportunities as possible to be in contention and see where that takes me.”
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