Leona collects another deserved accolade
Louth boxer Amy Broadhurst wins overall Sportswoman of the Year Award
Another memorable year on tour saw golfer Leona Maguire honoured at the recent Irish Times / Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year Awards.
Maguire won the Sportswoman of the Month award for February after she became the first Irish woman to win on the LPGA Tour when she triumphed at the Drive On Championship in Florida.
The 27-year-old sealed her maiden win with a final round of 67 which included seven birdies, as she finished on 18 under par and clinched a three-shot victory over nearest challenger Lexi Thompson.
She finished 2022 as the highest ranked European player in the world (11th) after a season that saw her earn 10 top 10 finishes including at the US and British Opens.
In late November she closed out the year by claiming runners-up spot at the Tour Championship. Her final round of 72 held off Anna Nordqvist and Georgia Hull for second place and earned her $550,000 from the $7 million purse.
Afterwards she described feeling mixed emotions.
"It's been an incredible year. It's been my best season so far, and I've got better every year. Looking forward to the off season now and hopefully can have an even better 2023."
This was the 19th year of the awards and Maguire – who won her first Sportswoman of the Month award aged 12 with her twin Lisa in 2007 - was among 12 other monthly award winners nominated for the 2022 title.
She has now been named Sportswoman of the Month in these awards more times than any Irish woman, except Katie Taylor. The Bray boxer has 16, while Maguire is now up to 11. Other monthly award winners included boxers Kellie Harrington and Lisa O’Rourke, athlete Ciara Mageean, para rower Katie O’Brien and Meath footballer Niamh O’Sullivan.
However, it was Boxer Amy Broadhurst, the first Irish female boxer to take gold at the World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games who was crowned The Irish Times Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year for 2022 at the gala lunch in the Shelbourne Hotel.
In what was a fantastic year for boxing, Broadhurst became only the second Irish fighter to land the three titles - Michael Conlan being the only other to achieve the feat. For good measure the 25-year-old Dundalk woman was named ‘Boxer of the Tournament’ at the Europeans.