Congratulations to Ireland’s world #1 ranked amateur, Leona Maguire, who won the 114th Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship at Pyle & Kenfig yesterday, defeating Spain’s Ainhoa Olarra 3&2 in the 18-hole final on the South Wales coast to seal the biggest amateur win of her career.
Following her victory Maguire now gets a place in US Women’s Open next month and the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns in August, when she will aim to win the Smyth Salver as the low amateur for a second time after doing so at Woburn last year.
Maguire is the first Irish woman to win the championship since Stephanie Meadow in 2012 and she was hugely impressive firstly in reaching the final, as she dispatched a couple of competitors 7&6, and then in the morning semi final produced another rock solid performance to beat Finland’s Anna Backman 3&2.
In the final she faced Spain’s Ainhoa Oharra, where a birdie on the first set her well on the way to victory. Maguire was 4-up on the 12th before her Spanish opponent pulled two holes back but Maguire was too strong and finally closed out the match 3&2 with a par on the 16th.
Maguire said “It was a great match all day. I knew that Ainhoa was going to push me to the very end and she did that. She got some great birdies today, especially that birdie she holed on 15. We played some great golf today and it’s just nice to come out with a win at the end.”
“This is definitely one I wanted to check off my kist before I turn pro. So it’s very nice to have this. There’s some great names on the trophy so it’s great to be joining them,” she added.
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