Leona Maguire bows out of US Amateur Championship
Seamus Enright
Despite improving her play at the Country Club of Charleston in South Carolina, Ballyconnell golfer Leona Maguire failed to build on her impressive Hermitage Scratch Cup win back in May, bowing out of the 113th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.
It was the first time the Maguire twins, Leona and Lisa had played the U.S. Women’s Amateur which normally collides in scheduling with the Ladies Irish Open, due to be played at the end of this month.
Lisa had disappointingly failed to qualify for the First Round of Match Play after she carded a 82 (+12) on her first game, a vastly improved 72 (+10) in her second, but 154 overall.
Leona, who performed superbly to win the Hermitage Cup at the Lucan Club earlier this year, though carried that confidence with her when she sailed through the qualifiers and into First Round last Wednesday where she faced former-Curtis Cup partner Stephanie Meadow from County Antrim.
Leona had last met Meadow in match play at the 2012 Irish Ladies Amateur, which she also won, and the two meanwhile played stroke-play, qualifying together at this year’s Irish ladies.
Even though she carded a round of 75 (+4) with one-birdie, 12 pars, and five bogeys, Leona held her nerve to overcome her familiar competitor, who for the most part drew the ball on every fairway along the course.
A putt for par to halve the ninth hole, to keep the match all square, was followed with a win at the tenth with a par to take a 1-up lead, subsequently matched at holes 15 and 16 was enough for her to again claim a three-and-two victory.
In the second round, played on Thursday, Leona faced off against 17-year-old Alexandra Harkins, Crystal Lake, Illinois who defeated Princess Superal, Philippines.
To earn a place in the final 16 and a match against seven-seed Alison Lee of Valencia, California, Harkins overtook Leona in a three-and-two win in which the local girl managed to eradicate many of her mistakes from the first round, finishing evens, earning two birdies, 14 pars and only two bogeys this time.
Leona completed the US Amateur Championship +4 for the competition with a 146 and in thirtieth position out of over 200 initial competitors from around the world.