KirkwoodGolf: Maguire ready to embrace 3rd Curtis Cup appearance

Leona Maguire – Player Profile

Maguire ready to embrace 3^rd Curtis Cup appearance

7 June 2016

World number 3 ranked amateur golfer, Slieve Russell member and Duke University sophomore Leona Maguire, will lead the GB&I Curtis Cup team at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club from 10-12 June. Maguire has a wealth of experience at elite level golf, and at the young age of 21 she is one of two players to make a third Curtis Cup appearance. Maguire shared her thoughts on why this will add value to the GB&I side, commenting “It helps to have people on the team who have played before. This event is different to others and it’s a long week with four practice rounds so it helps that we can share with others what we have learned from previous experiences.”

The GB&I team of which Maguire was a member, took home the Curtis Cup at Nairn Golf Club in 2012. A positive omen for the team approaching the 39^th test in three days’ time, and Maguire agrees “We were trailing the US team for most of the week in 2012. We kept fighting and odds turned in our favour just when we needed them too. We know it’s not over until the last day and being on GB&I soil always helps.”

Dun Laoghaire Golf Course is a fantastic venue for the 39^th match but some might say the Americanisms will favour the away team. However Maguire doesn’t seem to think so, “It will suit whoever plays the best. The greens are big so you have to be accurate. Whichever team putts the best will win. The golf course is quite exposed so a little wind might benefit us as well.”

Curtis Cup embraces the spirit of team golf and player support and its extra special for Maguire being at home, “I get excited rather than nervous when playing such high profile tournaments. Junior Solheim Cup in 2011 was great as it was in Ireland and there’s no support like home support. I always thrive off that.”

The season is all year round for the talented 21 year old; September-May playing collegiate golf and straight into competitive golf in GB&I and further afield when the college year ends. Maguire plans on preparing for the US Open after Curtis Cup and will hopefully switch focus to Rio thereafter. “I am going to head out to the US Open a little early to get used to the grass and rough. I am going to get as much practice in on tight courses and fast greens before that as I can,” said the world number 3. “The US Open will play a big role before the Olympics so I am just going to try and secure as many points as I can.”

It seems to be all golf for the 21 year old but life at Duke University can be quite diverse, as Maguire explains “Lisa and I have a lot of friends in other sports over there so we try and support them too. There is an amusement park nearby, which we go to quite often and we like to go bowling and to the cinema as well. We just try to keep busy with other activities, when we’re not playing golf.”

Upcoming Schedule
June	July	August
Curtis Cup	US Women’s Open (Professional event)	Home International Matches (Dependent on schedule)
British Women’s Amateur Championship	RICOH Women’s British Open (Professional event)
	European Ladies Individual (Dependent on schedule)