Leona Maguire
| Leona Maguire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | 30 November 1994 Ireland |
| Sporting nationality |  Ireland |
| Residence | Cavan, Ireland |
| Career | |
| Status | Amateur |
| Best results in LPGA major championships | |
| Chevron Championship | DNP |
| Women's PGA C'ship | DNP |
| U.S. Women's Open | DNP |
| Women's British Open | CUT: 2012 |
Leona Maguire (born 30 November 1994)[1] is an Irish amateur golfer. As of 11 September 2011, she is ranked 6th in the world on the Women's Amateur Golf rankings.[2] A native of County Cavan, her parents are schoolteachers Declan and Breda Maguire. At the age of 9, she gave up a promising swimming career to concentrate on golf. She is 15 minutes younger than her twin sister Lisa who is also an accomplished golfer.
Career
2006
In August 2006 at the age of 11, Leona came joint third in the under-12 World Golf Championship at Pinehurst in North Carolina. Her twin sister Lisa Maguire beat off more than 800 competitors from 30 countries to become the new under-12 world champion. In September 2006 the twins were chosen to bring the Ryder Cup trophy to the stage during the presentation ceremony after Europe's win at the K Club against the USA.
2007
On 6 May 2007, Leona became the youngest winner of the Hermitage Ladies Scratch Cup at the age of 12. She also won the St. Leonard`s Scottish U-16 Open; Connacht Girls U-18 Championship; Ulster U-19 Schools Championship; The Darren Clarke 2007 Girls Championship; Girls Interprovincial Championship and was Runner-up in the Midland and Leinster Championships.
2008
In March 2008 at the age of thirteen, Leona won the French Under-18 International title in Paris. On 4 May 2008 she successfully defended the Hermitage Ladies Scratch Cup. On 21 May 2008, Leona won the Lancome Irish Ladies Close Championship at Westport, County Mayo. She beat her twin sister Lisa by 3 and 2 in the final. On 19 July 2008, the positions were reversed when Lisa triumphed over her sister 4 and 3 in the final of the Lancome Irish Girls Close Championship at Mullingar Golf Club. It was the first time in the history of Irish Golf that the Irish Champions of both the Womens and Girls events come from the same family let alone twin sisters. On 26 July 2008, Leona finished runner-up to her sister who beat her by four shots in the European Young Masters at Chantilly, France. As a result both twins were picked for the European Junior Ryder Cup Team which later lost to the USA at Olde Stone, Bowling Green, Kentucky on 17 September 2008.
2009
In April 2009, Leona won the French International Lady Juniors U21 Amateur. On 26 April 2009, at the age of 14, Leona won the Helen Holm Scottish Women's Open Amateur Strokeplay Golf Championship played at Troon Portland and Troon Old Course after a final round score of 73 for a 54 hole aggregate score of -6, 219. Her sister Lisa came third. On 11 July 2009, the twins were part of the four girl Ireland team which defeated Sweden 4-1 in the final of the Girls' European Team Championships at Kokkola, Finland to become European Champions for the first time in Irish golfing history. Leona played for Great Britain and Ireland in the Vagliano Trophy in July 2009, becoming the youngest player at the age of 14 ever to represent the side, along with her twin sister, Lisa Maguire. The twins were the joint top highest scorers for the GB & I side which lost to Europe 13-11. Both twins were selected for the 2009 Junior Solheim Cup Team at the Aurora Country Club, Illinois, USA in August. Leona won the Irish Ladies Golf Union Order of Merit award for 2009.
2010
On 5 April 2010, Leona won a second consecutive title at the French Under 21 Open and retained the Esmond Trophy. She played for Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup in 2010, becoming the youngest player at the age of 15 ever to represent the side, along with her twin sister Lisa. In the same month Leona again made more history as the youngest match play qualifier in the British Ladies Amateur over the Royal St David's Links at Harlech, Wales.
2011
In January 2011, Maguire won the Portuguese Ladies Amateur Open by 15 strokes.[3][4] In April, she won a second consecutive French Under 21 title. In June 2011 Maguire won the Irish Women's Open Strokeplay title.[5] In August she won the British Ladies' Open Stroke Play Championship by six shots, the youngest player to ever win the event. Leona was chosen along with her sister Lisa in the European side which earned a 12-12 draw against the USA in the PING Junior Solheim Cup at Knightsbrook in Meath on 21 September. Leona scored the maximum three points in the event. In December, Leona and her sister Lisa were named jointly as the Women's Amateur of the Year at the AIB Irish Golf Writers' awards for 2011. Leona Maguire won the LEAR Silver medal as the second-ranked player to Stephanie Meadow in the Ladies' European Amateur Rankings (LEAR) at the end of 2011.
2012
On 22 April 2012, Leona became the first Irish golfer to win the Irish Girls Open Strokeplay championship, held at Roganstown Golf Club. She beat an international field by eight shots. On 10 June 2012, Leona was part of the Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team which defeated the USA at Nairn, Scotland by 10.5 points to 9.5 points. On 20 June 2012, Leona won the Irish Women's Close Amateur Championship at the County Louth Golf Club, for the second time in her career.
2013
On 5 May 2013 Leona won the Hermitage Scratch Cup at Hermitage Golf Club in Lucan, Dublin.
References
- ^ USGA, 2010 Curtis Cup Roster, Retrieved 2011-08-09.
- ^ [1]
- ^ BBC article on Portugess Ladies Amateur Open
- ^ Bio of Leona on Randa
- ^ RTE, Maguire wins Irish amateur title 19 June 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2011.