Tag: Leona Maguire

Former Duke women’s golf star Leona Maguire finishes second at T-Mobile Match Play

Two-time ANNIKA Award recipient and former Blue Devils star Leona Maguire made the championship match at the T-Mobile Match Play this weekend.

Former Duke women’s golf star Leona Maguire nearly won her third LPGA Tour event over the weekend, coming up short in the title match at the T-Mobile Match Play on Sunday.

The Blue Devil unfortunately ran into a buzzsaw in the championship match at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas. World No. 1 Nelly Korda defeated Maguire 4-and-3 for her fourth consecutive victory and the 12th LPGA title of her career.

Maguire, 29, played for Duke from 2015 to 2018, and she became one of the most decorated amateur golfers of all time. She won the ANNIKA Award, given to the best women’s collegiate golfer in the country, in both 2015 and 2017, one of just three players to win the award twice. Maguire spent 135 weeks atop the World Amateur Golf Rankings, the second-most in the history of the women’s rankings. Golfweek declared her the best women’s collegiate golfer of the decade in 2019.

Now up to 23rd in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, Maguire’s professional career has come into its own over the past two years. She broke through for her maiden title at the 2022 LPGA Drive On Championship before winning her second at the 2023 Meijer LPGA Classic last June. She’s finished inside the top ten at three majors since the summer of 2021, and she spent two weeks inside the top 10 in the world rankings last summer.

Sunday was Maguire’s third top-13 finish in seven LPGA Tour starts this season, promising form with the first women’s major two weeks away.

Four in a row: Nelly Korda tops Leona Maguire in 2024 T-Mobile Match Play final

Korda has won for a third week in a row and for a fourth straight start in 2024.

Nelly Korda has won for a third week in a row but more importantly for a fourth straight start on the LPGA. A record-tying fifth would have to come in a major championship, but that’s a concern for a later date.

For now, Korda is shipping home yet another trophy after her 12th career LPGA win, defeating Leona Maguire, 4 and 3, in the final of the 2024 T-Mobile Match Play at Shadow Creek Golf Course.

It’s Korda’s second straight 4-and-3 victory after opening the match-play bracket, 3 and 2.

The five-day event in Las Vegas came on the heels of wins near Phoenix and before that, Los Angeles. Her first win in 2024 was back in January. She’s the first to win four in a row since Lorena Ochoa in 2008.

“It’s just been a whirlwind,” she said of her 2024 season so far. “It’s been an amazing time, and to do it here as well in match play has been so much fun.”

Only Nancy Lopez in 1978 and Annika Sorenstam over the 2004 and 2005 seasons have won five LPGA tournaments in a row.

The match-play event started last Wednesday and the new format this year called for 54 holes of stroke play before three rounds of match play.

Korda won $300,000 for the victory and became the 25th LPGA golfer to surpass $10 million in career earnings. She also joins Ariya Juntanugan, Sei Young Kim and Hollis Stacy with 12 career victories.

“Playing the first two events, going down the stretch, there is a different type of adrenaline,” Korda said of her first two wins this year coming in a playoff. “But I feel like with match play you have that from the first hole so it was a great day playing against Leona. Always such a great competitor. Happy to get my fourth.”

The LPGA is off next week and then it’s the first women’s major of 2024 at the Chevron Championship, starting on Thursday, April 18, in The Woodlands, Texas, on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at The Club at Carlton Woods.

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Nelly Korda, aiming for a fourth straight LPGA win, faces Leona Maguire in final at T-Mobile Match Play

Korda is one match-play victory away from a fourth straight win on the LPGA.

Can Nelly Korda make it four in a row?

On Sunday, she won’t need to fend off an entire field to claim another LPGA title. This time, she’ll need to outduel Leona Maguire in the championship at the T-Mobile Match Play at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas.

Maguire has been the best golfer this week. After 54 holes of stroke play, she was at 6 under, three better than the field. When the format flipped to match play Saturday, Maguire beat Sei Young Kim 3 and 2 in the semifinals after knocking out Moriya Jutanugarn 4 and 3 earlier in the day.

Korda, meamwhile, was 1 under after the first three days but then topped Angel Yin 3 and 2 in the quarterfinals and Narin An 4 and 3 in the semis.

2024 T-Mobile Match Play
Leona Maguire plays a shot on the seventh hole in her semifinal match against Sei Young Kim at the 2024 T-Mobile Match Play at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

The match play event stretched over five days and had a new format in 2024, with the first two days consisting of 36 holes of stroke play with a cut to the top 65 and ties. After the third round Friday, there was a second cut to the top eight players, who were then seeded in a match-play bracket with No. 1 taking on No. 8, No. 2 taking on No. 7 and so on.

If Korda can win Sunday, she’ll make it four wins in four straight starts, including three in the last three weeks after winning the Ford Championship in Arizona and the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship near Los Angeles. She also won in January at the LPGA Drive On Championship.

The longest winning streak on the LPGA is five, with Nancy Lopez first doing it in 1978 and Annika Sorenstam over the 2004 and 2005 seasons.

The LPGA is off next week and then it’s the first women’s major of 2024 at the Chevron Championship.

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Lexi Thompson, Linn Grant and Leona Maguire among Solheim stars at Aramco Saudi Ladies International

Here are the stars teeing it up next week.

Lexi Thompson headlines next week’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International field on the Ladies European Tour. The event, held this year at Riyadh Golf Club Feb. 15-18, offers a purse of $5 million, the same as the payout of the men’s PIF Saudi International.

The 28-year-old Thompson, whose last worldwide victory came at the 2022 Aramco Team Series event in New York, last teed it up at the LPGA Drive On event in January where she tied for 16th. She is not listed in the fields of the LPGA’s upcoming Asian swing.

“The Aramco Saudi Ladies International signifies a significant step forward in advancing the sport,” Thompson said in a release, “not just in Saudi Arabia but on a global scale, and it’s a privilege to be part of an event that advocates for equal prize funds in golf.”

Defending champion Lydia Ko, who won the LPGA season-opening Tournament of Champions and lost the Drive On in a playoff to Nelly Korda, is not in the field in Saudi Arabia. Ko’s next event will be the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore.

Korda, who went to Prague immediately after the Drive On to visit her grandparents, is in the midst of a seven-week break from competitive golf.

In addition to the Aramco Saudi Ladies International, the 2024 LET schedule also features the Aramco Team Series, comprised of five events staged across the globe. Winners of those events last year include LPGA players Alison Lee, Xiyu Lin, Carlota Ciganda, Pauline Roussin, and Korda.

The LET’s Saudi-backed events remain controversial given the wide-ranging human rights abuses Saudi Arabia has been accused of, especially toward women.

Here’s a list of noteworthy players in this year’s field:

Leona Maguire and Lucas Glover Googled each other before meeting this week at Grant Thornton Invitational

“We probably weren’t the star-studded pairing,” said Maguire, who relishes an underdog role.

NAPLES, Fla. – Leona Maguire and Lucas Glover came into the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational somewhat under the radar, despite Glover winning twice this season and Maguire having another blockbuster Solheim Cup.

“We probably weren’t the star-studded pairing,” said Maguire, who relishes an underdog role.

And yet, here they are, one shot back of the lead in the highly-anticipated mixed team event, the first of its kind between the LPGA and PGA Tour since 1999, the last playing of the JCPenney Classic.

Maguire and Glover birdied the first 10 holes in the opening scramble format en route to a 15 under 57. They’re one back of Nelly Korda/Tony Finau and tied with Megan Khang/Denny McCarthy, who shot 27 on the back nine.

While some partnerships this week at Tiburon Golf Club have coaches in common, or in the case of Rose Zhang and Sahith Theegala, a trainer, Glover and Maguire met for the first time in person on the chipping green Tuesday at Tiburon.

“I think they just assigned us each other,” said Glover of how they connected, “and we met via text and went from there, played some Tuesday.”

And yes, Glover definitely Googled Maguire, learning that she has a twin sister in dental school. He was looking for any kind of nugget to break the ice. The 44-year-old Glover also asked some of the younger guys on the PGA Tour if they knew Maguire, including Justin Thomas last week at the Hero World Challenge.

Maguire also Googled, though she already knew that Glover had won a major (2009 U.S. Open) and probably should’ve been on this year’s U.S. Ryder Cup team.

“Maybe the Europeans were a little bit lucky Lucas wasn’t in Rome,” she said with a smile.

2023 Grant Thornton Invitational
Denny McCarthy of the United States and Megan Khang of the United States talk on the second green during the first round of the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburon Golf Club on December 08, 2023 in Naples, Florida. (Photo by Douglas DeFelice/Getty Images)

Nelly Korda told her old QBE partner McCarthy that her good friend Khang is a pocket rocket. It was destined to be a fun week.

“We met each other Tuesday night and it was, you know, I feel like we’re already great friends,” said McCarthy.

Khang agreed, noting that she’d already told McCarthy’s mom that she’d raised a great son.

“I kind of forgot we were in a tournament,” said Khang of their level of fun.

The shot of the day, Khang noted, came on the par-4 13th when she drove it into a bunker about 35 yards short of the hole. McCarthy told her to it get up there close and he’d hole it.

And he did just that.

“Babe Ruth, I pointed and called my shot,” said McCarthy. “That was nice.”

The format changes to foursomes for Saturday’s round.

How each American, European player fared at the 2023 Solheim Cup in Spain

Three players went unbeaten over the three days but only one earned 4 points over the five sessions.

CASARES, Spain — The 2023 Solheim Cup couldn’t have been closer.

The 18th edition of the biennial bash between the United States and Europe was all square at 8-8 entering Sunday singles, and after the final 12 matches – five won by the both teams and two ties – the competition ended in a 14-14 tie, and the Europeans retained the Cup.

In the event’s 23-year history, the Americans have taken home the trophy on 10 occasions, with the Europeans earning the other eight. Team Europe hasn’t lost since 2017 in Iowa.

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda was the only player to score four points this week (4-0-0) and was one of four players who went unbeaten, joining Gemma Dryburgh (0-0-2), Megan Khang (3-0-1) and Cheyenne Knight (2-0-1). Two players went winless for each team, but only one failed to earn a point.

Here’s a breakdown of how each player fared this week by event at the 2023 Solheim Cup.

MORE: Sunday singles results | Best shots | Crazy fans

European records

Player Overall (W-L-T) Singles (W-L-T) Foursomes (W-L-T) Fourball (W-L-T)
Celine Boutier 0-3-0 0-1-0 0-2-0 0-0-0
Charley Hull 1-2-0 0-1-0 0-1-0 1-0-0
Linn Grant 3-2-0 0-1-0 1-1-0 2-0-0
Georgia Hall 1-2-1 0-0-1 0-2-0 1-0-0
Leona Maguire 3-2-0 1-0-0 0-2-0 2-0-0
Carlota Ciganda 4-0-0 1-0-0 1-0-0 2-0-0
Anna Nordqvist 1-3-0 1-0-0 0-2-0 0-1-0
Maja Stark 2-1-1 1-0-0 1-1-0 0-0-1
Madelene Sagstrom 1-1-1 0-1-0 0-0-0 1-0-1
Gemma Dryburgh 0-0-2 0-0-1 0-0-0 0-0-1
Emily Pedersen 2-2-1 0-1-0 1-1-0 1-0-1
Caroline Hedwall 1-1-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 0-1-0

American records

Player Overall (W-L-T) Singles (W-L-T) Foursomes (W-L-T) Fourball (W-L-T)
Lilia Vu 1-3-0 1-0-0 0-1-0 0-2-0
Nelly Korda 2-2-0 0-1-0 2-0-0 0-1-0
Allisen Corpuz 2-1-1 0-1-0 2-0-0 0-0-1
Megan Khang 3-0-1 1-0-0 2-0-0 0-0-1
Lexi Thompson 3-1-0 1-0-0 2-0-0 0-1-0
Jennifer Kupcho 0-2-1 0-1-0 0-1-0 0-0-1
Ally Ewing 1-3-0 0-1-0 1-0-0 0-2-0
Rose Zhang 0-3-1 0-1-0 0-0-0 0-1-1
Danielle Kang 2-2-0 1-0-0 1-1-0 0-1-0
Angel Yin 2-1-0 1-0-0 0-0-0 1-1-0
Andrea Lee 1-2-1 0-0-1 1-1-0 0-1-0
Cheyenne Knight 2-0-1 0-0-1 1-0-0 1-0-0

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Late-day heroics pull Europe within two points at 2023 Solheim Cup

“I’m immensely proud of the way the entire team fought back in the afternoon,” said European captain Suzann Pettersen.”

It could’ve gotten ugly real fast. Instead, Team Europe holed out three shots – including only the second ace in Solheim Cup history – in the afternoon fourball session to claw their way back and secure momentum after the U.S. team’s historic morning sweep.

In fact, it looked for a moment like Europe might get a sweep themselves in the afternoon. With three of four matches extending to the 18th as sunlight dwindled, Europe managed to put up three points, and now trail the Americans 5-3 with two days left of competition.

“I have to say, I’m immensely proud of the way the entire team fought back in the afternoon,” said European captain Suzann Pettersen. “It’s not easy to stand on that tee in the afternoon knowing you’re down four after the first session. So I got to say, hat’s off to all my players, the way they fought and the way they showed their character on this Friday afternoon. I think the level of golf that was played in the afternoon was unbelievable.”

Solheim Cup: Photos

Leona Maguire, the undisputed MVP of the 2021 Cup at Inverness, chipped in on the 18th hole to secure Europe’s first full point alongside partner Georgia Hall.

“She turned around to me and said, ‘How would you have done it?’ ” said Pettersen. “And I said, ‘just the same.’ ”

Both Maguire and Hall played 36 holes at hilly Finca Cortesin but dug deep.

“It was really tough with the wind,” said Maguire. “I don’t think I ever hit as many 3-woods in my life. But every half point, every point, is really hard-earned and just really proud of the whole team for fighting back this afternoon.”

Emily Pedersen struggled early on Friday but gave the home crowd a jolt of energy with an ace on the par-3 12th and nearly a second one on the 17th.

Gemma Dryburgh of Team Europe reacts on the 12th green during Day One of The Solheim Cup at Finca Cortesin Golf Club on September 22, 2023 in Casares, Spain. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

It wasn’t long after that rookie Gemma Dryburgh chipped in from 30 yards on the 16th playing alongside Madelene Sagstrom. Rose Zhang drained a birdie putt on top to halve the hole, but it was still a building block of momentum for Pettersen’s squad.

“I loved every minute of it,” said Dryburgh. “That chip-in on 16 was the pinnacle, but I had to calm myself down for the next hole, so that was a new experience for me.”

Spain’s Carlota Ciganda waited her entire life to tee it up in a Solheim Cup in Spain, and then she had to wait all morning before Pettersen put her in the lineup. The Spaniard didn’t disappoint, teaming up with Sweden’s Linn Grant to give Europe its most decisive victory, 4 and 2.

“Carlota, I’m just trying to put a leash on this week,” said Pettersen. “I mean, she would jump off and fly if she could. So I’m really just trying to keep her grounded. She’s playing fantastic.”

2023 Solheim Cup Friday morning foursomes pairings feature struggling Lexi Thompson out first

World No. 2 Lilia Vu is on the bench for the opening matches, as is rising star Rose Zhang.

CASARES, Spain — The opening tee shots of the 2023 Solheim Cup are just hours away and the first group of pairings have officially been announced.

Friday morning’s foursomes pairings and matches at Finca Cortesin on Spain’s southern coast were released during the opening ceremony Thursday night at nearby Marbella Arena, with none other than U.S. star Lexi Thompson, who has struggled this year, set to take the first swing alongside Megan Khang against European and Swedish rookies, Linn Grant and Maja Stark.

Notably on the bench for the American side are world No. 2 Lilia Vu, who won two major championships this season, as well as rising star Rose Zhang, who has a penchant for match play.

“I wanted to get off to a good start. I wanted to get out four really good pairings and that’s kind of been my focus this whole time,” said U.S. captain Stacy Lewis. “So it was more about who matched up together versus even — I didn’t even look at who was sitting, to be honest. I wasn’t even worried about who was sitting. It was more just what are my best four options.”

“For my sake, I feel like I’ve had these four pairings down on paper for quite a few months now,” added European captain Suzann Pettersen. “It was more like in what order do you play ’em.”

Check out the four matches and pairings, as well as the eight players who will ride the pine pony for the first session of matches at the 2023 Solheim Cup. (Note: Spain is six hours ahead of Eastern Time in the U.S.)

MEET THE TEAMS: Europe | USA

Solheim Cup players, captains explain the test provided by the hilly host, Finca Cortesin

A drivable par-4 1st hole sets a unique tone for what fans should expect to see this week in Spain.

CASARES, Spain — When’s the last time you saw a drivable par 4 on the first hole of a golf course?

Fans who tune in to the 2023 Solheim Cup this week at Finca Cortesin on Spain’s southern coast will be treated to the rarity as the opening hole will provide a risk-reward option for players right from the jump.

A lot of the pre-match discussion this week from both players and captains has been about the unique test that this year’s host course will provide. The course at Finca Cortesin offers wide fairways and will bless the good shots and penalize the poor ones. Not only that, the heat and hills will make the 18th matches between the United States and Europe an equal parts physical and mental test for players and their caddies.

Here’s what the stars of the week had to say about this year’s host course as the Solheim Cup is held in Spain for the first time in its nearly two-decade history.

Nine 2023 Solheim Cup players have a winning record (and six are European)

If you look at past records, the advantage at the 2023 Solheim Cup lies with the home side Europeans.

CASARES, Spain — Who are the favorites at the 2023 Solheim Cup?

The gambling experts in Las Vegas currently have the host Europeans as the favorites at -115, but it’s a close bet with the Americans at +100. A tie is currently +950.

The Rolex world ranking gives the U.S. side a slight advantage as all 12 Americans are ranked inside the top 50. Nine Euros are inside the top 50, with two outside the top 120.

If you ask United States captain Stacy Lewis, she’ll say Suzann Petersen and her European counterparts have to be favored. After all, Team Europe has claimed the last two Cups and will be playing on home soil.

“And that’s not to doubt my team. I just think Europe is really, really strong. They have got all the momentum in this event right now,” said Lewis last month when she made her captain’s picks for the biennial event that begins on Friday at Finca Cortesin on Spain’s southern coast. “That’s going to be our biggest thing is we are going overseas, and we don’t have the momentum on our side. And so we are going to go try to flip it.”

“We have a lot of new blood that has not experienced the last two years,” Lewis continued. “They don’t know what it’s been like, and I think that’s going to be to our advantage, as well.”

Sure, ignorance can be bliss, but the other side of that coin is a lack of high-pressure experience in a truly unique event. That could be an issue for the U.S., who fields a 12-player team this week that features five rookies.

Not only is Team Europe two-time defending champions, but of the 24 players competing, nine have winning records in the event, and six are European.

MEET THE TEAMS: USA | Europe