Leona Maguire looks set for another major tilt this weekend after she battled to remain in contention at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Sahalee.
Maguire is just three shots off the lead held by Sarah Schmelzel and Amy Yang on three-under-par after a rollercoaster second round of 70 that included three birdies and a double bogey in her last five holes.
“Yeah, didn’t feel as up and down as probably the scorecard looks. Had a nice birdie on 11. That pin was really tricky sitting up on a plateau considering how firm they’re getting,” explained Maguire.
“12 went through the back of the green and missed a short putt there, which I didn’t think I hit a bad putt. Just sort of bobbled on me.
“And then, yeah, it was nice to get sort of that birdie bounceback on 14.
“And 16 holed a nice putt down off the slope.
“Just hit a bad shot on 17. Completely miss-hit it and came up short in the water. It was one of those just take my medicine with the pitch and make 5 and move on.
“It was nice to finish strong and make a birdie on 18 to give some momentum into tomorrow.”
The Cavan star opened her round with a bogey and had to remain patient on what was now a firm and fast golf course. Her first birdie of the day finally arrived on the eighth and she followed it with birdies on 11 and 14 with a bogey on 12.
“More of the same: keep driving it in the fairways as much as possible. The greens got pretty bobbly this afternoon, so try and hole a few more putts. Always the key over a weekend at a major.”
Maguire was the 54-hole leader in this major championship last year and she is prepared to take the lessons she learned at Baltusrol into the weekend here.
“I learned that I could contend. I had the lead I think it was Friday night going into Saturday, going into Sunday, so I knew I hung on to it Saturday and didn’t hang on to it Sunday, but at the same time, I knew I could do it.
“This is a very different test to Baltusrol. At the same time, it will test patience and execution in the same way.
“So I think the biggest takeaway was knowing that I don’t have to play perfect golf to be able to contend. I haven’t by no means played perfect golf this week. Nobody will.
“So I think that’s going to be a big key this weekend, just trying to play as well as I possibly can and just, yeah, patient and be kinder to myself. I wasn’t very kind to myself on Sunday at Baltusrol last year. Be a bit kind for myself this weekend.”
Stephanie Meadow missed the cut.
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