In-form Maguire ready for Major test

Golf

Leona Maguire will tee it up tomorrow at Atlanta Athletic Club in the latest Major on the LPGA tour calendar knowing that she is playing the best golf of her career and a breakthrough cannot be far away.

The Ballyconnell woman finished second in the Meijer LPGA Classic last weekend after four sizzling rounds. In the end, she was narrowly pipped by American Nelly Korda for a second runner-up finish of the season.

Her stellar form which entails four top-10s in total this season and a ninth and a second in the last fortnight has moved the Cavan woman to within touching distance of nailing an automatic place on Europe’s Solheim Cup team, although she seems nailed on for a captain’s pick anyway.

Prior to that will be two more Majors and the Olympics in Tokyo.

Before that, the busy schedule will also include the Olympics in Tokyo and a further two Majors, the Evian and the AIG Women’s Open.

Korda carded a closing 67 in Grand Rapids to finish 25 under par, two shots ahead of nearest rival Maguire, who capped a superb week with a bogey-free final round of 66.

"Nelly is one of the best players in the world and I went toe to toe with her pretty much all of today," said Maguire.

"This week is going to be huge heading into a major (next week's PGA Championship). I knew I was playing some great golf. It's a huge confidence boost for the rest of the season.

"I'm really starting to feel like I belong out here. Even though it's still my rookie year, I'm feeling more and more comfortable every week.”

My first time in the last group going into the final round, and really proud of how I managed that.

"All in all, my game is in really good shape and I feel like this was really good preparation heading into a major week."

The performance saw Maguire jump 25 places to 63rd in the official rankings while she also pocketed a cool €200,000 in prize money.