Leona Maguire completes unbeaten Solheim Cup debut as Europe beat USA in Ohio

Maguire crushed the previously unbeaten Jennifer Kupcho 5&4 to take her personal Solheim Cup haul for the week to four-and-a-half points out of a possible five

Mon, 06 Sep, 2021 - 23:07

Brian Keogh

Leona Maguire set herself apart as the new superstar of women’s golf when she became the most successful rookie in the 31-year history of the matches as Europe recorded a famous 15-13 win at Inverness Club in Ohio.

The Co Cavan star, 26, crushed the previously unbeaten Jennifer Kupcho 5&4 to take her personal haul for the week to four-and-a-half points out of a possible five.

Even after winning two and a half points from her three matches before Monday's singles, world No 28 Kupcho had no answer to Europe’s steely Irish star.

Maguire eagled the second, then birdied the fourth, sixth, and seventh to go four up before closing out the match with a winning par four at the 14th.

An early eagle for Leona Maguire! 🦅

Europe currently lead in three of the four matches out on the course.

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— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) September 6, 2021

“Jen’s a world-class player, we’ve done battle many times in college, so this is not the first, and it will definitely not be the last,” Leona said after her resounding victory.

It was quickly followed by wins for Madelene Sagstrom over Ally Ewing (3&2), Celine Boutier over Mina Harigae (5&4) and a half for Anna Nordqvist with Lexi Thompson that left Europe 12.5-8.5 ahead with 14 points needed to retain the trophy before wins for world number one Nelly Korda, Brittany Altomare and Megan Khang kept the contest alive.

It fell to Finnish rookie Matilda Castren to make a nerveless par save on the 18th to beat Lizette Salas and make sure the trophy would return across the Atlantic, with Emily Pedersen then guaranteeing half a point from the bottom match to ensure outright victory when she went three up with three to play. She would go on to close out a 15-13 victory on the last.

“I knew I was going to have to play some great golf to beat her today, and I got off to a great start,” Maguire said. “That eagle on two set me up, and I holed some really nice putts and really put my foot down all day.

“I haven’t looked at too many boards. The goal was to get my point. That’s all I can do. I have given it my absolute all this week. I couldn’t have given it anything more and couldn’t have asked for a better week.

“Hopefully, the girls can finish it off and I’ll go and cheer them on now. I will give as many shouts of Go Europe as possible.”

What a star! 🙌

Leona Maguire caps off an unbeaten Solheim Cup debut in style to secure Europe's first point of the singles! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/G61EVTKCBa
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) September 6, 2021

Maguire ripped one of her fairway woods to 10 feet at the par-five second before nonchalantly rolling in the putt to go one up.

Two holes later, she had doubled her lead, brushing home a 15-footer for birdie at the fourth.

There was none of the fist-pumping that had characterised her team play alongside Mel Reid and Georgia Hall as she poured in a 12-footer for another birdie at the sixth to go three up.

“I just tried to get off to a really good start, and then that eagle on two, that’s a pretty good start,” she said. “Made birdie on six, which was a hole I hadn’t played well on all week. I just wanted to put pressure on Jen from the get-go. She’s a phenomenal player; we’ve played many times before, and I knew I’d have to have my ‘A’ game today, and luckily there was still some energy left in my legs and I was able to get it done.”

The par-five eighth was halved in fives but Kupcho could not make in-roads in Maguire’s lead, leaving a birdie 15 footer well short at the 10th before she failed to get close to the hole with a 15-footer at the 14th to stay alive.

Paying tribute to new caddie Dermot Byrne, who has coincided with her hot run of form, she added: “I’ve been having a great year since the LPGA Mediheal (in June) and just tried to carry that through.

“Dermot has been a tremendous help to me. He’s been my caddie since Mediheal, and he was a huge part of this week, keeping me calm, keeping me focused, hitting the right shots at the right moments.

“And I had two phenomenal partners in Mel and Georgia, as well, that just let me do my thing.”

Matthew secured the winning point in Europe’s previous win in America in 2013 but added: “I think it’s even sweeter as a captain actually. It’s certainly more nerve-racking watching. It’s all down to the team really, it’s if they play well, so all hats off to them.”