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Leona Maguire was part of the wave of Irish female sporting success in 2022 even though her innate modesty and reserve, means she still appears almost surprised to see her name dropped in alongside the likes of Katie Taylor, Ciara Mageean and the Republic of Ireland women’s team that qualified for next year’s World Cup.
Ireland has always embraced its sporting heroes and seems to reserve a particular affection for its female stars.
“I don’t think you ever really get used to it,” says Maguire, the 28-year-old of being recognised by the Irish public on the few occasions during the year when she does get home from her exploits on the LGPA Tour.
Maguire’s stunning Solheim Cup debut as Europe triumphed in the US 15 months ago raised her profile massively – especially in her home country – and she built on that success by clinching a first LPGA title when winning the Drive On Championship in Florida back in February.
“Definitely since the Solheim Cup, I get recognised a bit more with people asking for pictures and things like that,” Maguire told BBC Sport Northern Ireland.
“Female sport in Ireland is probably as strong as it’s ever been and the girls are going to the World Cup. Rachael Blackmore, Katie Taylor…..there are so many Irish female athletes that are doing great things. I’m just fortunate to be part of that.”
But part of it she is, a stunning two years on the globe’s fairways has seen her world ranking shoot up from 177th to 11th.
Her latest rankings jump saw her move up nine places to a career high as the she finished second behind Lydia Ko at the LPGA’s season-ending CME Group Tour Championship, with the Irishwoman’s tournament highlighted by a nine-under-par 63 on day three.
That performance brought up Maguire’s 2022 LPGA earnings to over $1.8m [£1.45m], which left her ninth in this year’s cash standings.
The Cavan woman was rated the world’s top amateur for a record 135 weeks between 2015 and 2018, but she insists “rankings are something I’ve never really dwelled on”.
Further probed as to whether the number one spot in the paid ranks is a future target, she plays down the notion with a laugh.
“A lot of things would have to go right,” said Maguire. “The LPGA is probably as strong as it’s ever been.
“In any given week, there are 30 or 40 players who can turn up and win the tournament. Nelly [Korda] is playing some incredible golf. Lydia is too, Atthaya Thitikul, Jin Young Ko….there are so many great players in the world.”
Maguire coy about 2023 major chances
As for the possibility of emulating the achievements of Irishmen Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, Shane Lowry, Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell and Fred Daly in winning a major, Maguire isn’t making any bold predictions as 2023 approaches.
But she has shown an aptitude for the game’s biggest events over the past two seasons with a final-round 61 helping her share sixth at the Evian Championship last year, in addition to being tied fourth at this year’s Women’s Open at Muirfield and also achieving a top-10 finish at the US Women’s Open two months earlier.
“We’ve got a busy summer next year with four majors in the space of seven weeks plus a Solheim Cup, so I will try to get the game in as good a shape as possible for that stretch and we’ll see what happens.” she added.
Maguire admits she has picked the brains of Harrington, Lowry and winning 2014 Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley in terms of how they prepared for the sport’s biggest events.
“They’ve been a tremendous help to me in giving me advice and answering my questions,” she said.
“Having my caddie Dermot [Byrne] on my bag is lucky for me as well as he was with Shane for eight or nine years so I have plenty of experience to lean on,” adds Maguire, who says she will “hopefully” tee up at both the World Invitational at Galgorm and the Irish Women’s Open at Dromoland Castle in 2023 as she did this year.
Like with all world-class sports people, Maguire talks about her “team”, which includes the Niall Horan-founded Modest Golf management group, but family has always been central to her golf career and remains so.
Maguire and identical twin Lisa emerged as golf prodigies when they were not even in their teens although Lisa is now studying dentistry at University College Cork after ending her own professional career in 2019.
“Mam and Dad [Breda and Declan] have been a huge part of that journey as has been Lisa and my brother Odhran too,” said Maguire.
“With her studies, Lisa’s pretty busy but she’s still working part-time with my management company.
“She travelled all summer with me and caddied in a couple of events when Dermot have some other commitments. “
‘You don’t think about the role model thing’
“It was nice to have her on the bag for a few weeks and she’s always there to lend a helping hand whenever it’s needed,” she added.
“We’re very fortunate to have had each other. I never would have gotten to where I’ve gotten to without Lisa.”
When the Maguire twins competed as 12-year-olds in the Ladies European Tour’s Northern Ireland Open in 2007, they were no Irish role models in women’s professional golf.
However with Stephanie Meadow also on the LPGA Tour and Olivia Mehaffey making her way in the paid ranks, it’s a different picture 15 years on.
“You don’t really think about the role model thing day to day. I just do what I do. Work hard and try and be the best version of me as possible,” she said.
“If people are inspired by that, that’s fantastic and hopefully we’ll have a few more Irish girls out on the LPGA over the next few years.”
