Why Leona Maguire is convinced she’s taken a huge stride to major glory

Leona Maguire believes her near miss at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship proves her game can stand up to the major challenge.

The Irishwoman held the 54-hole lead in one of the game’s big five tournaments for the first time at Baltusrol but slipped to tied 11th after a final round 74.

But the 28-year-old was far from disappointed with her week in New Jersey and, looking ahead to next week’s US Open at Pebble Beach, along with the third Aramco Team Series event in London, she declared she took confidence from her week’s work on America’s east coast.

“I think I’ve played some really good golf. Obviously, it’s one thing playing good golf in regular tournaments,” Maguire said.

“But knowing that you can complete with the best golfers in the world, and at a major and a venue like Baltusrol, I think I can take a lot of confidence from that and Baltusrol was one of the toughest tests we probably had.

“It was a really, really good golf course and a really good test. So it’s nice to know my game stacks up at a venue like that, and then you just take that confidence into Pebble next week.

“It’s all about just putting myself in positions to contend and that’s exactly where you want to be on Sunday at any tournament and, certainly majors.

“I take confidence and know my game is in good shape and we’ll try and build upon that momentum for Pebble next week.”

Maguire, now a fixture on the LPGA Tour in the United States, will be one of the star draws of the Aramco event at Centurion, alongside World No. 2 Nelly Korda, Georgia Hall, and Charley Hull.

The event will see 36 teams of four – three professionals and one amateur – battle it out at the St Albans venue for a $1 million prize fund.

With a busy summer, including a tilt at the Solheim Cup to come, Maguire said she was looking forward to the Aramco event and the months ahead.

“I’ll be spending pretty much nearly all the summer in Europe and that’s something I’m really looking forward to,” she explained. “I’ve never been to Centurion before but I’ve heard great things about the golf course.”

She added: “There are plenty of Irish people around London so, hopefully, we’ll have plenty of people out to support and cheer us on that week.”

Will you be going to the Aramco Team Series London event? Will you be going to watch Leona Maguire? Let me know with a tweet.

• NOW READ: 2023 LPGA schedule and results