FORT MYERS, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 05: Leona Maguire of Ireland is presented the Trophy by LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan after winning the LPGA Drive On Championship at Crown Colony Golf & Country Club on February 05, 2022 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
On the day before her mum Breda’s birthday, Leona Maguire decided to gift her with the performance of a lifetime.
After a final-round 67, Maguire cruised into the winner’s circle for the first time in her LPGA Tour career, becoming the
first woman from Ireland to win in the Tour’s history.
“Hasn’t really sunk in yet. It’s a bit surreal. It’s been a long time coming and I suppose you don’t know it’s going to happen
until it actually does,” “Tried to just stay really patient today. Didn’t get ahead of myself. Wanted to go out and just shoot a number. Didn’t want anybody to have to hand it to me. I wanted to go out and win it myself and earn it. Yeah, just really
proud of the way I played today.”
Heading into the final day tied for the lead with Marina Alex, Maguire said she didn’t look at leaderboards until the fairway
on 18 and didn’t know how the results were beginning to net out. After carding her first birdie on 2, Leona picked up speed
after a bogey on 3 with back-to-back birdies on 7 and 8 and closed with a 33 on her back-nine holes.
“I think the birdie on 7 was huge. Brittany [Altomare] had gone on that run early, and as I expected, I knew someone was
going to go low today. I was just trying to keep up with her and Marina early on.
That birdie on 7 and 8 as well out of the pine straw was huge for momentum making the turn, and then another two on 10
and 11. I thought the shot on 11 was in,” said Maguire. “But, yeah, just some really solid iron shots to set up those chances.”
Finishing 2nd was 11-time LPGA Tour winner Lexi Thompson. Lexi played her first seven holes 7-under, which included
an eagle on 10. Finishing with a birdie on 18 after a bogey on 16, Thompson posted a final-round 65 and at -15 overall.
