LEONA MAGUIRE OUTCLASSES PORTUGUESE FIELD WITH 15-SHOT WIN

    Leona Maguire on her way to a tremendous, wide-margin victory in the Portuguese international women's amateur championship at Aroeira No 2, near Lisbon today (image from the Portuguese Federation website).

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Impressive winner of the Portuguese international women's amateur championship today - the first big women's amateur event of the year - was Curtis Cup player 16-year Leona Maguire from the Slieve Russell club, Ballyconnell in Co Cavan, Ireland.
She won by a record margin of FIFTEEN shots with a brilliant 14-under-par total of 274 made up of rounds of 66, 70, 70 and 68 over the par-72 course.
Leona, winner of the Helen Holm Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play title at Troon in 2009, looks like being a very hot favourite to win that title for a second time in late April.
In fact, the manner of her victory - she simply outclassed most of the best female amateurs in Europe with a bag of 18 birdies and only four bogeys over 72 holes - suggests Leona, no longer a girl but a young woman, has a terrific season ahead of her.
The British women's open amateur title at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland in June looks well within her scope.
Her twin sister and Curtis Cup team-mate, Lisa, was the next highest finisher among the British and Irish competitors. She came 10th with 292 (71-76-73-72).
England's Jess Wilcox was the third best British or Irish player in 19th place on 299 with rounds of 73, 75 76 and 75.
Leona Maguire's victory in the "Portuguese" is the second by an Irish player in recent years. Gillian O'Leary won the same title not so long ago. She continues to play good golf - although being a member of the Irish Ladies Golf Union staff reduces her time for practice - and she made the cut this weekend.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
274 Leona Maguire (Ire) 66 70 70 68.
289 Karolin Lampert (Ger) 70 74 72 73, Karlijn Zaanen (Ned) 68 73 73 75.
280 Quirine Eijkenboom (Ger) 72 72 74 72.
Selected totals
292 Lisa Maguire (Ire) 71 76 73 72 (10th).
299 Jess Wilcox (Eng) 73 75 76 75 (19th).
304 Lucy Williams (Eng) 71 78 80 75 (T28).
306 Charlene Reid (Ire) 75 78 78 75 (T33).
307 Gemma Bradbury (Wal) 83 72 76 76 (T36).
308 Gillian O'Leary (Ire) 75 80 75 79 (T38).

SCROLL DOWN TO SATURDAY'S REPORT TO SEE THE NAMES AND SCORES OF THE GB AND I PLAYERS WHO WERE ELIMINATED BY THE THIRD-ROUND CUT.

TO READ ALL THE FINAL TOTALS ON THE PORTUGUESE FEDERATION

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