Ireland'sLeona Maguire carded a brilliant final round of 64 to win the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan.
The Cavan golfer, who began the day two shots off the lead held by Amy Yang, covered her last six holes in six under par with an eagle and four birdies to finish 21 under, two strokes clear of Ariya Jutanugarn.
Yang had matched Maguire’s eagle on the par-five 14th but then ran up a double bogey on the 16th to effectively end her chances.
A birdie on the 18th saw Yang complete a closing 69 to share third place on 18 under with Xiyu Lin.
Maguire finished runner-up in the event for each of the last two years, losing out in a play-off in 2022 and finishing two shots behind Nelly Korda in 2021.
“I’ve been playing some really good golf leading into this week, and just tried to be patient,” Maguire said after claiming her second LPGA title.
A well-deserved winning moment for @leona_maguire pic.twitter.com/Yp8Fjv0qvL
— LPGA (@LPGA) June 18, 2023
Read More: Leona Maguire to be reunited with golf bag lost at Dublin Airport
“It was nice to go bogey-free on Sunday and my goal today was to get to 20-under. Nice to go one better than that.
“I felt like I played some really good golf last year. Missed out in a play-off here, second at CME. You have to play really good golf to win out here. It’s tough."
“It’s a really nice feeling to get this one, and especially heading into the majors we have coming up.”
Maguire acknowledged the tough competition on the tour and recognized the significance of playing consistently well to secure a win. Looking ahead, she was excited about the upcoming major tournaments, including the KPMG Women's PGA and the US Women's Open.
Maguire acknowledged that she had drawn inspiration from golfers Rory McIlroy and Pádraig Harrington.
Speaking before McIlroy had a near miss at the US Open last night. She said: "Rory has been incredibly impressive over the years. Yes, he has been a big inspiration for me, but a big one has been Pádraig Harrington.
"I had some big ups and downs today and Pádraig showed me those shots. It’s nice to have that sort of camaraderie.
“Hopefully Rory can have a good day today and give people at home something to think about.”
Last night, American Wyndham Clark held his nerve to win his first major championship in the 123rd US Open as Rory McIlroy once again missed out on a fifth title.
Maguire is expected to be one of the top contenders in the upcoming KPMG Women's PGA at Baltusrol and the US Women's Open at Pebble Beach from July 6-9.
In reference to her aspirations for the major season, she expressed confidence in her game, stating, "I feel like my game has been in really good shape."
She also mentioned the Amundi Evian Championship and the AIG Women's Open at Walton Heath as upcoming tournaments on her radar. Looking ahead, Maguire emphasized the importance of maintaining her current form, stating, "It's just more of the same, keep giving myself chances."
