August 2022 

What does it mean to you to be back competing on home soil?
It is always special to play in front of a home crowd and I am really looking forward to playing my first LPGA event on the island of Ireland. We play so many events around the world it is great when we get the opportunity to play in front of home fans, friends and family. Irish golf fans are some of most knowledgeable and respectful, so it is great to play in front of crowds that really appreciate watching some great golf.

You have achieved so much in the last year, what has been the secret to bringing your game to a new level?
Solheim was a great experience and allowed me to build a lot of confidence in my game that I could play and compete with the best players in the world. I think over the last 18 months or so I have definitely become more comfortable playing week in week out on the LPGA and I feel as though my game is well suited to compete on the highest stages. I am still only beginning my journey on the LPGA so every week is still very much a learning experience and my goal is still very to improve week on week so that I can compete and contend with the best players out there.

What do like about the mixed format of the World Invitational and competing for equal prize money?
I think playing for equal prize money is a huge step forward and something that all of us on the LPGA would love to see more of. Events like the World Invitational allow female players to gain greater exposure both in terms of media coverage and prize funds, and it give us the opportunity to show of high the standard is on the LPGA. I think fans are often blown away by the quality of shots that female players can play and often times find their style of play more relatable than male players.

The winning score for the women’s tournament was (-16) last year, what will be the key to scoring at Galgorm & Massereene
Hitting fairways is always of paramount importance around Galgorm, especially given that the rough tends to get a little thick in places. They can very easily tuck some of the pins so coming off the fairway will also give the best opportunity to hit approach shots in the most scorable areas.

You are inside the top 20 in the world rankings and Race to CME Globe, what are your main goals for the rest of the season?There is still a lot of events left to play this year and I think my goals will just be to put myself into contention as many times as possible. I feel as though my game is trending nicely and I am really looking forward to finishing the season off strong.

How important is an event like the World Invitational in Ireland to give aspiring players the chance to see their role models?
I think that the most powerful force that a young girl or boy can see is their heroes competing in real life. We all love watching our favourite stars competing on TV but seeing them up close and personal really makes a lasting impact. I remember my Dad bringing my sister and I to the Irish Open when we were starting to play and it really was inspiring and motivating to see the likes of Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley, some Ireland’s greatest golfers compete. In the same way, I would love to have the same impact on young girls today and act as a role model for them. When we see our heroes compete, we strive to emulate their success, their habits and their style. I would to have more events at home where young girls would have the opportunity to see golfers that “look” like them and “swing” like them.

LEONA MAGUIRE (IRE)

WHAT’S IN THE BAG? 

Driver: Ping G425

Woods: Ping G425 3w, 6w, 9w

Irons: Ping i210 5-Uw

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM9 55 and 60 degrees

Putter: Ping Vault 2.0 Bergen

Ball: Titleist Pro V1