Leona Maguire (Slieve Russell), has finished top of the European Women’s Amateur Golf Ranking for the third successive year. It is also the third consecutive year she has finished top of the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). Her achievements in the last two years include victory at the 2017 Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship, a tied 21st place finish at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, finishing as low amateur in the 2016 Ricoh Women’s British Open, and several scoring records for Duke University. In 2016, Maguire helped Great Britain & Ireland secure the Curtis Cup, winning four of her five matches. She also earned a bronze medal for Ireland at the Espirito Santo Trophy and represented Great Britain & Ireland in the Vagliano Trophy.

Olivia Mehaffey (RCDL) also finished well up the rankings in 5th position after another successful year for the Arizona State Sophomore.

The European Rankings silver medal went to,Albane Valenzuela (SUI), who is also second in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. She finished as runner-up in this year’s European Ladies’ Amateur and U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships. In the last two years, she has featured in four major championships, making the cut on two occasions, and competed in the 2016 Olympic Games, where she finished tied for 21st alongside Maguire. Julia Engström (SWE), who finished third in this year’s rankings, is the youngest player ever to win the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship. Her victory in 2016 at the age of 15 qualified her for the 2016 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2016 Women’s British Open and the 2016 Evian Championship.

Photo: Tim Cowie