Ireland’s Leona Maguire has credited short game tips from compatriot and three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington for helping her win a second LPGA title at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give.
Maguire carded a superb closing 64 for a 21-under-par 267 total at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Michigan, beating Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn by two shots.
“I had a few really key up-and-downs this week, especially on 17 both Friday and Saturday. Padraig showed me some shots, so I have to thank him for it. I got to spend some time with him last summer,” said Maguire, whose maiden LPGA title came at the 2022 LPGA Drive On Championship when she became the first Irish golfer to win on the LPGA Tour.
Maguire noted that she and her caddie, Dermot Byrne, receive a lot of support and help from the Irish male professionals.
“All the Irish guys are great. I think it’s nice being from that sort of close-knit community, Shane (Lowry) and Padraig, Paul (McGinley). They’re there to give me or Dermot advice whenever we need it, so it’s nice to have that sort of camaraderie,” said the 28-year-old.
The former Duke University standout noted that she might pay Harrington another visit to tap his knowledge and skill again as she hunts for a first Major victory.
“I potentially have to pay him another visit this summer. I’ll have to check in with him and see if we can do it again,” said Maguire, who was the world’s top lady amateur for 135 weeks before turning professional in 2018.
Maguire had stayed in the mix throughout the week, finishing all four rounds in the 60s. Tied for fifth at the start of the final round, she kept pace through the front nine. A birdie on 13 and an eagle on 14 gave Maguire a share of the lead on 18-under-par and she never looked back, carding three straight birdies coming in to seal the deal after finishing runner-up in the last two editions.
“This one is that little bit sweeter after coming so close two years in a row. I know a lot of people were saying you’re due one, this course owes you something, but golf usually doesn’t work like that. It’s nice that it all worked out well for me this week,” said Maguire.
The LPGA Tour shifts into Major gear with this week’s US$9 million KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey. While Maguire will start as one of the favourites, she describes Baltusrol’s Lower Course as ‘beastly’ having played it recently.
“It’s a real Major venue. This week is good preparation for it. I think the greens are going to be firm and fast there like they were here, but a slightly different test, it being a Major and all. The biggest thing will be resting and recovering after this as quickly as I can, and resetting and going again once we get on-site,” she shared.
A graduate of the Epson Tour, Maguire has been solid on the LPGA Tour since her 2020 rookie season with 19 career top 10 finishes including five this year. She was the first Irish member of the European Solheim Cup Team in 2021 at Inverness, where she scored 4.5 points to break the all-time rookie record.
Malaysian number one Kelly Tan missed the halfway cut in the Meijer LPGA Classic by three shots despite a gallant second round 69, having opened with 76.
| Results (Top 10 and ties) | ||
| 267 (-21) | Leona Maguire (IRL) | 69-65-69-64 |
| 269 (-19) | Ariya Jutanugarn (THA) | 73-64-66-66 |
| 270 (-18) | Xiyu Lin (CHN) | 68-68-66-68 |
| Amy Yang (KOR) | 67-67-67-69 | |
| 272 (-16) | Hyo Joo Kim (KOR) | 69-65-69-69 |
| 273 (-15) | Jasmine Suwannapura (THA) 68-69-70- 66 | |
| Jennifer Kupcho (USA) | 66-69-69-69 | |
| 274 (-14) | Hye-Jin Choi (KOR) | 70-67-70-67 |
| Ally Ewing (USA) | 67-70-70-67 | |
| Pauline Roussin (FRA) | 68-68-71-67 | |
| Aditi Ashok (IND) | 68-67-72-67 | |
| Carlota Ciganda (ESP) | 68-66-71-69 | |
