Former Irish rugby International Hannah Tyrrell believes Leona Maguire has broken the glass ceiling and shown young girls that there is a pathway to play golf.
Maguire has enjoyed a stellar professional career to date, picking up an LPGA Tour title, becoming the record Solheim Cup points scorer as a rookie and reaching a career-high world number eleven.
Tyrrell (32), took part in the second annual Golf Ireland International Women’s Day event supported by KPMG and Maguire was the star turn.
“We have seen a lot of women in the last couple of years paving the way,” said Tyrrell. “The one that comes to mind, Leona Maguire is doing fantastic things on the women’s tour. She has been a great role model for women in sport not just obviously women in golf. It’s been seen as a pathway less travelled for women in Ireland. So she has shown young girls that there is a pathway there for women. She is setting those standards and it’s fantastic to see that representation.”
The Clondalkin native has had quite the sporting life. A Six Nations winner in 2015 during a very successful rugby career for Ireland. This came after another stint as a footballer where she won the FAI Women’s Cup for St Catherine’s before she moved to Shamrock Rovers.
Upon her retirement from rugby, Tyrrell returned to playing Gaelic football in 2021 and is a member of the Dublin Ladies team but she is looking to add golf to her list of sporting talents.
“I wouldn’t really have done an awful lot of golf before. It’s something new and exciting and we’ll give it a go.
“Unless we are running between holes, I don’t know if any of that is going to transfer over. But my dad would have played a lot of golf and my brother would have played golf to a good standard. I have been to the driving range a few times but never actually played a bit of golf.
“I am hoping I will get better as I go on, practise makes perfect. I am enjoying myself. I would like to give it a go a bit more often. I would probably get better over time. My biggest problem would be can I fit it into my busy schedule. But look, it’s a lovely day out here. We are having the chats with the girls. I would love to do it again some time.
“It’s a low impact sport and it’s a nice way to relax. Out in the fresh air, the views here are beautiful. It’s something that everybody can get involved in. I am having a great time so far and I would encourage anybody to take up any sport. But for golf, it’s very easy to get into it. Low impact, it doesn’t take a lot on the body or anything else like that. Sure it’s a bit of fun.”
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