Leona Maguire pockets big sum for high finish in Evian Championship
Maguire shot a four-under-par final round of 67 to finish on 11-under-par for the tournament and just three shots off Grace Kim, who defeated Jeeno Thikitul in a playoff to claim the title.
The 30-year-old was tied for the lead after an opening round of 65 that included a hole-in-one.
Rounds of 71 and 70 saw her fall slightly off the pace, but Maguire finished strongly to leave her looking forward to the AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl next month.
Maguire said: "Played some really good golf this week. Probably the best golf I've played in quite a while. It's nice.
"I knew my game was sort of trending nicely coming into this week, so I think this is a course that tests all aspects of your game."
The seventh-place finish in a major saw Maguire pocket $245,081 as she looks forward to getting home to Ireland for some links practice.
"My approach shot is something I've been working quite a bit on, and they were really, really good this week," Maguire said. "Lots of positives to take out of the week.
"My iron shots were really good, especially off the slopes. I had a lot of control over my irons and gave myself a lot of chances.
"The hole-in-one was a bonus on Thursday morning as well. Maybe didn't quite drive the ball today as well as I would've liked. Left a couple putts short. Overall it's still a top 10 in a Major."
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Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Leona Maguire leads three-strong Irish contingent at AIG Women's Open
Leona Maguire brings some very strong form into the AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl, as the 30-year-old Cavan golfer heads a three-strong Irish contingent in the season's final Major, with Kildare's Lauren Walsh and Dubliner Anna Foster also seeking one of the sport's top prizes. The R&A has increased the prize money for the event to a record €8.46 million ($9.75 million), more than doubling the purse since 2019 when the R&A and title sponsors AIG began their partnership of the championship. This is the 49th year of the championship which has yet to produce an Irish winner, although Maguire – competing in the event for a ninth time – was leading amateur in 2016 and contended strongly at Muirfield in 2022 before ultimately finishing fourth behind South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai. Maguire's form has seen an upturn of late, with top-10s in both the KPMG Women's PGA and the Amundi Evian Championship, and she again has veteran caddie Phil 'Wobbly' Morbey on her bag after a strong start to their new partnership at last week's Scottish Open. READ MORE Walsh, currently 15th on the LET order of merit, missed the cut at St Andrews last year but has five top-10s so far this season, while LET rookie Foster, who has veteran caddie Brian Byrne on her bag, earned her place in the field with an impressive performance in final qualifying at the nearby Pyle & Kenfig earlier this week. The spotlight, though, is very much on emerging star Lottie Woad , who won the KPMG Irish Open as an amateur earlier this month and won the ISPS Handa Scottish Open on her professional debut last week. Lottie Woad after winning the 2025 Women's Scottish Open at the Dundonald Links, Irvine. Photograph: Steve Welsh/PA Nelly Korda , the world number one, isn't used to being overshadowed. Neither is Lydia Ko , the Olympic gold medallist. Yet, they are on this occasion, with Woad's name on everyone's lips. Even Korda's, it would seem: 'Absolutely amazing,' said the American of Woad's impact. 'I was very impressed with her composure, her process. I think, when it comes to her shot routine, especially under pressure and in the heat of the moment. 'Sometimes people seem to fidget and kind of doubt themselves, but she stuck to it, she stuck to her process every single time, and I think one of the main things that I noticed is how mature she is for her age and how comfortable she was in the heat of the moment.' For her part, Ko remarked of Woad: 'I don't know a lot about her game personally, but the little that I've seen, she seems super impressive and has that kind of cool, calm, collected demeanour, and that's, I think, pretty important as a player. She's kind of come out with a bang, and I'm sure she's going to keep continuing to play well.' Woad had Dermot Byrne on her bag in Scotland but will have her coach Luke Bone on duty this week on the Welsh coast. Of being installed as championship favourite in just her second appearance as a professional, Woad said: 'I don't know how they do it, but I feel like I'm playing well, so I guess I was going to be one of the favourites. Obviously, everyone's so good, so I feel like anyone can win really.' Ireland's Lauren Walsh and Anna Foster during a practice round ahead of the AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl. Photograph:Lowdown Purse: €8.46 million (€1.26 million to the winner) Where: Porthcawl, Mid Glamorgan, Wales. The course: Royal Porthcawl – par 72, 6,748 yards – is a classic links originally designed by Ramsay Hunter which opened for play in 1898 and was then modified by legendary course architect Harry Colt. In more recent years, Martin Ebert – the R&A's go-to man for upgrades – made changes so it will provide a tough championship examination. The par-4 16th – played from an elevated tee to a heavily bunkered fairway – effectively starts a difficult run for home. The field: For what is the fifth and final Major of the LPGA Tour season, the AIG Women's Open has attracted a stellar entry headed by world number one Nelly Korda, with Lydia Ko defending the title. So far this season three of the four Majors have been won by first-time champions: Mao Saigo (The Chevron), Mai Stark (the US Women's Open) and Grace Kim (the Evian), with only Minjee Lee's success in the KPMG Women's PGA – her third Major win – going to a multiple champion. Quote-Unquote: 'We've kind of spoken of the game plan and learned from what he was challenged with [at Royal Portrush]. It's kind of stay out of those pot fairway bunkers and just play as safe as possible, really try to hit as many fairways, that's kind of the goal for this week.' – Royal Porthcawl home hope Darcey Harry on having her boyfriend, DP World Tour player Jacob Skov Olesen, on her bag this week having featured at The Open at Royal Portrush. Irish in the field: It's a further indication of the ongoing evolution of Irish women professionals that there are three players competing in the Major. Lauren Walsh is in a group with Dongeun Lee and Anna Huang (teeing off at 6.41am); Leona Maguire is grouped with Andrea Lee and Amy Yang (7.58am), and Anna Foster is in a three-ball with Amelia Garvey and Emma Spitz (3.11pm). Weather eye: There is a chance of heavy rain Thursday morning with wind gusts of up to 25mph, meaning tricky conditions for the early starters. Strong winds are likely to continue on Friday with gusts of 25-30mph, although conditions should be dry. Sunshine expected throughout the weekend, with some scattered showers possible on Sunday. Betting: Lottie Woad's blitzkrieg start to her professional career in winning the Scottish Open, having already won the KPMG Women's Irish Open as an amateur earlier this month, has seen the English golfer installed as 6-1 favourite ahead of world number one Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul who are both rated 9-1 shots. Better value, though, can be found further down the market with Lydia Ko at 33-1. Leona Maguire has shown good form of late and is also an each-way look at 55-1. In terms of long shots, Amelia Garvey is available at 200-1 plus and is worth a look. On TV: Live on Sky Sports Golf from 12pm.
RTÉ News
5 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Leona Maguire's form back on even keel as Irish trio get set for AIG Women's Open
Time flies and the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour seasons have been no different as the fifth and final major of the year arrives on the horizon. On Thursday, the elite in women's golf will be teeing off at the Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in south Wales for the prestige of winning the AIG Women's Open and Leona Maguire comes into the tournament in decent form. It hadn't always been that way as the year had ticked into early summer with the Cavan native enduring four missed cuts in a row across May and early June as momentum deserted her. Slowly but surely though the next four LPGA tournaments have been more encouraging, finishing in a tie for 19th at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship, T18 at the Dow Championship, joint-seventh at The Amundi Evian Championship and then last week's T16 at the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open, although the KPMG Women's Irish Open was not anywhere near as gainful after finishing tied for 48th. That two of those results have been at major events will be a boost to her confidence before she tackles the Royal Porthcawl course. Maguire will be the most experienced of the three Irish competitors in the field, where she will be joined by Anna Foster and Lauren Walsh. Foster had a fruitful Irish Open at Carton House as the Dubliner finished tied for 12th, although Walsh did not make the cut in her home county of Kildare at a venue where she last year signed up to be their official touring professional. Walsh will be the first of the Irish to tee off on Thursday, bright and early at 6.41am, with Maguire next at 7.58am and Foster among the late starters at 3.11pm, having been among the 17 players to make it through final qualifying at Pyle & Kenfig on Monday to take her place in the field. When it comes to potential contenders for victory, much of the attention will be on the player who has been taking the game by storm in recent weeks. England's Lottie Woad said she will block out the noise this week after being installed as the favourite despite it being her first major since turning professional. The 21-year-old former Florida State University student marked her entry into the paid ranks by cruising to a three-stroke victory at last week's Scottish Open. She also won the Irish Open by six strokes as an amateur earlier this month before just missing out on becoming the first amateur to win a major when she was beaten by one stroke by Australia's Grace Kim at the Evian Championship. English amateur Lottie Woad has won the KPMG Women's Irish Open at Carton House 📺 @rteone @rteplayer - — RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 6, 2025 So it is hardly surprising that Woad, who turned professional after the Evian Championship, has found herself in the spotlight as she arrived in South Wales. Asked about the growing expectation, Woad said it was all part of the learning process. "I don't think you can ever really fully handle it. I definitely feel like I've got a lot better at it," she told reporters. "I just try and block out the noise as much as possible really." Woad finished tied 10th at the Women's Open last year at St Andrews, but said Porthcawl presents a tough challenge. "I think it will be a really good test. We'll see; weather is always a factor in links golf. A lot more to mind off the tee than St Andrews last year. Definitely got to keep in play," she said. "A lot of holes, par is a good score, and then you've got to take a chance on the par-5s really." Amongst a high-quality field standing in Woad's way is defending champion Lydia Ko from New Zealand. "She's kind of come out with a bang, and I'm sure she's going to keep continuing to play well," Ko said of Woad. "I don't know a lot about her game personally, but the little that I've seen, she seems super impressive and has that kind of cool, calm, collected demeanour, and that's, I think, pretty important as a player." Olympic champion Ko is playing in Wales for the first time and said she is ready for the elements. "I would rather it be tough than be calm. As much as I love sunny weather, when I'm coming to play the Women's Open, I expect it to be rainy, windy, and that's what I've gotten to really enjoy about this Championship," she said. "I hope it brings all those elements." World number one Nelly Korda is bidding to win her first British Open after coming tied second last year. She is also expecting big things from former amateur world number one Woad. "Golf is a game of confidence, and she's definitely high up there right now, so she's going to be trusting everything," Korda said. "Her worst finish in the past three events is theoretically second or third. I think she's also riding a confidence high too with how well she's playing."
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Irish Independent
Anna Foster wins qualifying spot for AIG Women's Open at Royal Porthcawl
The Dubliner (23) was one of 17 players to come through Final Qualifying at nearby Pyle & Kenfig, carding a three under 68 to finish a shot behind leading qualifier Anna Hung (16) of Canada. 'The 4am alarm this morning was definitely something else!' said Foster, who is enjoying an impressive rookie season on the Ladies European Tour. 'But once I saw the draw, I was really pleased that I was out first, with the fresh greens and the calmer conditions. 'I was delighted to be able to take advantage of playing early and do the simple things effectively, like playing the par-5s well.' Foster went off in the first group at 6:45am and qualified in joint second with Thailand's Arpichaya Yubol. 'I was first reserve for the ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open last week but didn't get in,' added Foster, who is 28th in the LET's Order of Merit. 'I drove down from there on Friday and got to play here at Pyle & Kenfig on Saturday and Sunday, so that definitely helped. 'I played in the AIG Women's Open in 2023 at Walton Heath, and it was quite an overwhelming experience as an amateur, but now I feel I have more confidence in myself.' Amateurs Aine Donegan and Beth Coulter shot a two-over 73s to share 45th in the 107-strong field and miss out by three strokes. Olivia Mehaffey shot 74, Annabel Wilson a 75 and Sara Byrne a 78 to finish further down the field.
