IRELAND'S LEONA MAGUIRE NAME FEMALE AMATEUR OF THE YEAR

Ireland's Leona Maguire has been named Global Golf Post's Female Amateur of the Year for 2017.

The award comes on the back of an excellent year for Maguire, who has also received the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the top golfer in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking for the third consecutive year.

The Cavan native won the 2017 Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship with a 3 & 2 matchplay victory over Ainhoa Olarra and finished inside the top-50 in the British Open.

The Duke University golfer also represented Great Britain & Ireland in the Vagliano Trophy.

Yesterday’s award follows a fine collegiate season for Maguire which saw her nab a second Annika Award and WGCA National Player of the Year honours after posting the second-lowest stroke average in National Collegiate Athletic Association history with 70.2