Leona Maguire wins South Bend Regional title

NEWS RELEASE FROM DUKE UNIVERSITY

SOUTH BEND, Indiana – For the ninth time in school history and the second time over the last three years, the Duke  University women’s golf team claimed a NCAA regional championship Saturday as the Blue Devils swept both the team and individual titles at the South Bend Regional played at Notre Dame University's  6,301-yard, par 72 Warren Golf Course

The Blue Devils now advance to the NCAA Championship for the 27^th time in school history and the 20^th time out of the last 21 years.  The 2015 NCAA Championship will take place from May 22-27 at the Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida

“It feels great to win this late in the season,” said Duke head coach Dan Brooks.  “Now we can turn our focus to the nationals."

Duke freshman Leona Maguire. pictured above, claimed the NCAA South Regional individual title with a 54-hole aggregate of four-under-par 212, becoming just the fifth Blue Devil to win a regional title.  She joined Anna Grzebien (2005), Leigh Anne Hardin (2002), Virada Nirapathpongporn (2001) and Beth Bauer (1999 – tied first).  Maguire, who is a native of Cavan, Ireland, is just the third Duke freshman golfer to win the title as well

“It is great,” commented Maguire on the victory.  “To get another win is a bonus and obviously to get the team win was big today.  We have been really working towards regionals and nationals all year so it is really nice the whole team came together at this time and got the win.”

As a team, Duke carded rounds of 288, 289 and 296 for a three-day total of nine-over-par, 873.  The Blue Devils won by three strokes over Wake Forest (876), while UC Davis (884), Arizona (886), Tulane (888) and Purdue (888) are the other teams advancing to the NCAA Championship. 

 The teams dealt with much different conditions Saturday as it was wet from overnight rainfall and it rained off-and-on during the entire final round.

The victory was the third of the season for the strong Duke teamsand marks the 122^nd career win for Brooks over his 31 years as a head coach. 

Curtis Cup player Leona Maguire won her second straight tournament and became the third Blue Devil to win both the ACC Championship and NCAA regional in back-to-back tournaments – .  Maguire trailed third-year team-mate Boutier by one stroke heading into the final round and ended up with a one-stroke victory as Boutier carded a final round 74 and finished with a three-under-par, 213. 

“Yeah, it was pretty much Irish weather today,” said Maguire.  “It wasn’t too bad.  It was sort of on-and-off rain all day.  The course played a lot longer today – the grass was wet and the ball wasn’t flying quite as far.  So you had to adapt to a little of that.  I just tried to hit a lot of fairways and greens to give myself chances.”

For the third day in a row, Maguire carded a birdie on the 462-yard, par five second hole to move to one-under-par early to kick off the final round.  She went on to make seven straight pars and made the turn with a one-under, 35. 

 After bogeys on No. 10 and No. 13, Maguire dropped to one-over-par for the day.  She came back with a birdie on the 180-yard, par three 14^th hole to get back to even where she stayed to close the day.  Maguire hit 12 fairways, 13 greens and had 31 putts in the final round.  She totaled rounds of 72, 68 and 72 over the three days. 

“I am really looking forward to nationals,” said Maguire.  “Everybody has been talking about it all year and I have heard the stories about last year.  So it will be really nice to get down to Florida and see what it is all about and hopefully bring home another title.”

Over the three days, Boutier carded rounds of 67, 72 and 74 to finish a three-under-par, 213.  The second place finish is the highest placement of the season for the 2014 National Player of the Year and formerly ranked No 1 female amateur golfer in the world.

 In the final round, Boutier had chances for birdies, but couldn’t get the putts to drop until No. 18 when she hit her pitching wedge from 107 yards to four feet for birdie.  A native of Montrouge, France, Boutier had bogeys on No. 3, No. 7 and No. 12.  She hit 13 greens, 12 fairways and had 33 putts on the day. 

“We are all super happy about the team winning,” said Boutier.  “It is a great feeling to have right before nationals.  We feel like we are ready and very excited about the championship. 

"I am a little disappointed with my game because I felt like I could have scored lower obviously.  I had a good attitude throughout the round and fought until the end so I am really happy about that.”

Both rookies Gurbani Singh and Lisa Maguire closed Saturday’s play with rounds of four-over, 76. 

Duke’s best golfer on the course over the final 11 holes Saturday, Leona's twin sister Lisa Maguire was one-under-par over those holes as she went on to place tied 76^th with a 234.  Maguire, who hails from Cavan, Ireland, collected a birdie on No.14 as she drained a 10-footer.  She totalled four up-and-downs over her final 11 holes of action. Lisa hit 10 fairways, eight greens and had 29 putts. 

The Blue Devils will have 10 days off before heading to Bradenton, Florida for the season-ending national championship finals. Duke is the reigning NCAA Champions and has won a total of six NCAA titles since 1999 (2002, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2014).

“What we have been doing has worked pretty well, which is a lot of individual stuff,” commented Brooks on the plan prior to nationals.  “I will probably put some match play in there because we are about to play a match-play tournament."

Notes:

* Leona Maguire placed tied first for the tournament with a 2.83 scoring average on par three holes.  Her 11 birdies ranks tied second overall as well.

* Leona Maguire’s three wins on the season now ranks tied first on the Duke freshman record books along with Amanda Blumenherst, Brittany Lang and Virada Nirapathpongporn. 

* Leona Maguire owns 22 rounds of even or under par on the season to rank only two behind Amanda Blumenherst for a Duke school record. 

+The Ladies Golf Union has been told that Leona Maguire, ranked No 2 in the world, is not available for selection to the GB and I team for the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe at Malone Golf Club, Belfast next month.

#GoDuke

LEADING TEAM TOTALS
Duke 288 289 296 873
Wake Forest 293 292 291 876
UC Davis 295 294 295 884
Arizona 294 292 300 886
Tulane 298 295 295 888
Purdue 299 283 306 888
Kentucky 301 301 290 892
Notre Dame 302 293 299 894
Kent State 296 302 298 896
Harvard 298 296 305 899 


LEADING INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
1 Leona Maguire Duke 72 68 72 212 -4
2 Celine Boutier Duke 67 72 74 213 -3
3 Lindsey Weaver Arizona 71 70 74 215 -1
4 Allison Emrey Wake Forest 71 74 71 216 E
T5 Michaela Fletcher * Memphis 73 69 75 217 +1
T5 Blair Lewis UC Davis 71 74 72 217 +1
T5 Marissa Dodd Wake Forest 70 73 74 217 +1
T8 Leilanie Kim * Idaho 75 73 70 218 +2
T8 August Kim Purdue 74 69 75 218 +2
T10 Haley Mills Kentucky 74 75 70 219 +3
T10 Taylor Kim Kent State 72 75 72 219 +3
T10 Isabelle Johansson Kentucky 70 74 75 219 +3
T10 Sierra Sims Wake Forest 74 69 76 219 +3
T10 T14 Brenna Nelsen Harvard 71 74 75 220 +4
T15 T14 Katie Mitchell Louisville 73 73 74 220 +4

SELECTED TOTAL
T76 Lisa Maguire Duke 82 76 76 234 +18