Leona Maguire finished with a flourish as a pair of weekend 67’s moved her inside the top-20 at the close of the Symetra Tour’s CDPH Open.
The Cavan star’s week stalled from the start in Albany, New York with a one-over par opening round all but ending her tournament hopes before they even started.
However, as ever, Maguire tried until the end and followed a moving day 67 that included five birdies, with a Sunday salvo that involved five more as the former world amateur number one finished the week in a tie for 16th at minus-seven.
The tournament provided a maiden professional win for Robynn Ree, a rookie on the LPGA Tour in 2018. The University of Southern California alumna stepped into the winner’s circle for the first time since capturing the 2017 East Lake Cup individual title for the Trojans.
“It’s awesome and I’m still in awe,” said Ree. “I can’t believe it actually happened and I’m just so happy right now. I tried not to think about where I was at. The more I think, the more nervous I get. Just stayed calm and hit one shot at a time. My game is coming together, better late than never and putting is really getting there. It is all feeling good.”
Maguire is still on course to claim her place on the LPGA Tour proper though as she sits in third place on the Volvik Race for the Card;
1. Perrine Delacour (Paris, France) – $113,501
2. Jillian Hollis (Rocky River, Ohio) – $93,821
3. Leona Maguire (County Cavan, Ireland) – $84,149
4. Patty Tavatanakit (Bangkok, Thailand) – $75,646
5. Julieta Granada (Asuncion, Paraguay) – $70,837
6. Ssu-Chia Cheng (Taipei, Chinese Taipei) – $62,553
7. Jenny Coleman (Rolling Hills Estates, California) – $61,350
8. Esther Lee (Los Alamitos, California) – $60,033
9. Nuria Iturrioz (Mallorca, Spain) – $57,990
10. Min Seo Kwak (Seoul, Republic of Korea) – $56,710
Full Scoring HERE
Meanwhile in France, it wasn’t the week Julie McCarthy would have wished for upon her Major championship debut at the Evian Resort.
Round of 86 and 77 accounted for a plus-21 total and a harsh introduction to what it takes to get to the top of the women’s game. However, such experiences will undoubtedly stand to the Swords amateur who’ll return to Auburn a better player as her golfing journey continues.
South Korean, Jin Young Ko captured the title and her second Major of the season by two strokes at 15-under par.
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