Golf

Leona Maguire claims British Amateur Championship victory

Leona Maguire celebrates victory in Wales on Saturday
Leona Maguire celebrates victory in Wales on Saturday Leona Maguire celebrates victory in Wales on Saturday

LEONA Maguire once again stamped her authority on the world of ladies' golf by winning the British Ladies' Amateur Open Championship at Pyle & Kenfig in Wales

The Cavan-born world number one ground out a tough 3&2 victory over Spaniard Ainhoa Olarra on Saturday, having dismissed Anna Backman (Finland) by the same margin in the morning semi-finals.

Throughout the matchplay stages of the championship, Maguire never had to pass the 16th green, as she added the biggest amateur prize this side of the Atlantic to her haul of victories. She, of course, has also cleaned up on the college circuit in the US, as a member of the Duke College Blue Devils team.

Olarra was highly impressive in her morning semi-final as she spread four birdies over her card without a bogey in sight. However, it was different in the final as the Spaniard and her Irish opponent carded birdies, bogeys and pars throughout their game.

Maguire was first to strike with birdie three at the first hole but she bogeyed the second and went one down at the third to Olarra's birdie three.

Back-to-back birdies at the next two holes gave Maguire the edge and she was never again headed. She won with par at seven and a birdie at the long eighth to turn three holes ahead but her run was halted when she bogeyed 10.

The Slieve Russell member doesn't get flustered, however, and was back in full control with her fifth birdie of the round and she went four holes ahead on the 12th green when Olarra made bogey four.

The see-saw battled continued when the winner bogeyed 13 to lose that hole and she was back to two up as Olarra made birdie at short 15. Then the roof fell in on the loser as she bogeyed 16 and Maguire's par was enough to give her the British title and starter's rights for the US Ladies' Open and the professional Women's British Open over the next two months.

In the morning semi-finals, a birdie four at the ninth hole had left Maguire turning two up against Backman but the back nine was a changing picture. The winner added five more birdies – she had seven in all – but also two bogeys, while her Finnish opponent made two birdies and one bogey. Both players birdied the par four 16th hole and that was enough to send Maguire into the final.

“It’s been a fantastic week and I’ve played some really great golf. It’s a real highlight of my career to have won this championship. It’s one of the biggest amateur events and one that I felt I hadn’t given as good a go at, as I could have done in the past few years. It’s great to get my name on the trophy alongside some of the biggest names.

“Ainhoa played really great golf and she pushed me all the way to the end. I knew I was going to have to play well. She threw all the birdies she could at me and I was glad I was able to rise to the challenge,” enthused Leona.

She now follows in the footsteps of other Irish British Championship winners, Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush 2012), Lillian Behan (The Curragh 1985) and Maureen Madill (Portstewart 1979) all have their names on the trophy.