Leona calls for summer date for KPMG Women's Irish Open
Leona Maguire pictured playing Wednesdays Pro-Am day at the KPMG Women's Irish Open in Dromoland Castle Golf Club, Newmarket On Fergus, Clare today as The Ladies European Tour returns to Irish shores for the first time since 2012 . Pic. Brian Arthur
Leona Maguire is hoping the €400,000 KMPG Women’s Irish Open will be a summer event next year after she was forced to take time out of her LPGA schedule to headline the event’s return at Dromoland Castle after a 10-year hiatus.
The world number 18 did not commit to the event until last month but 13 years after she outscored Laura Davies on her Irish Open debut as a 14-year-old at Portmarnock Links, she’s hoping she can put on a show for the home crowd and help build up the event for an even bigger staging in the heart of next season.
"Yeah, I flew in from Seattle this week, it wasn't the easiest commute but it's one of those things, it's an important event and you'd like to see it on the schedule for a long time to come,” said Maguire, whose missed cut in last week’s Amazingcre Portland Classic allowed her to arrive earlier than planned at the revamped Co Clare venue for what will be her fourth event in a row.
"I think ideally I would like to see a summer date, I think a lot of people would like to see a summer date, for a number of reasons, whether people are off for the summer, kids are off school and could come watch.
“It would be nice if it could sit in the middle of that European swing for us when we can get maybe some of the bigger LPGA players to play as well.
"But Dromoland has put on a fantastic show this week, they have done everything they can to pull off a big event and it's all come together very nicely.
"We'll work with what we have this year and hopefully it will continue to improve every year going forward.”
The former world number one amateur has flourished on the LPGA Tour, winning her first event this year and clocking up top 10 finishes in the US Open and the AIG Women’s Open.
But she’s one of just two Irish professionals in action—there were five for her debut in 2009—alongside Northern Ireland’s Victoria Craig and six amateurs as Stephanie Meadow did not enter and Olivia Mehaffey takes a break from the game.
"I mean, there weren't many Irish pros playing back then, there still aren't many, which is a little disappointing,” she said, insisting that despite the pressure to contend, she’s treating it like any other week. “We'd like to have a few more in the years to come but I think it's important that this is back on the schedule.
"It was always a big event when it was on the schedule a few years ago and it's taken 10 years but there's a lot of planning, a lot of organising gone into it and hopefully this can become a big event on the LET schedule for a long time to come.”
Golf Ireland has nominated six amateurs and Maguire shares a coach in Shane O’Grady with 14-year-old Roscommon talent Olivia Costello, who is joined by Lahinch's Aideen Walsh, Hermitage’s Kate Lanigan, Clandeboye’s Rebekah Gardner, Spain-based Marina Joyce Moreno and Knock’s Katie Poots.
Maguire’s advice to them is to “enjoy the week” though she knows that won’t be easy.
“I know it is hard and they are probably nervous but they should embrace it for what it is,” she said. A lot of them will probably put a lot of pressure on themselves unnecessarily. So I suppose to treat it like any other competition. They are obviously good enough to deserve to be here, so they should play their usual game.”
Meanwhile, Jonathan Caldwell, Cormac Sharvin and Niall Kearney will fly the flag in the Cazoo Open de France at Le Golf National where Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts (39) returns to defend his title after a three-year wait during which his life has been turned upside-down as he battles back to full health having been diagnosed with a rare kidney disease – primary membranous nephropathy.
On the Challenge Tour, the race for 20 DP World Tour cards continues at the Swiss Challenge at Golf Saint Apollinaire.
There are eight Irish in the field with 13th-ranked Tom McKibbin joined by John Murphy (30th), Ruaidhri McGee (43rd), Conor Purcell (74th), Gary Hurley (146th), David Carey (189th), Robin Dawson (196th) and Gavin Moynihan (243rd).
At the First Stage of the DP World Tour Qualifying School, Paul McBride added a 68 to his opening 67 to share eighth place at halfway on nine-under in the race to finish in the top 21 and ties.
Naas’ Jonathan Yates is tied 14th on six-under after a 69 with Conor O’Rourke (69), Michael Young (70) and Rowan Lester (72) are three shots outside the mark in 34th on three-under with James Sugrue (69) 85th on one-over and Darren McHale (72) 112th on 11-over.
