Leona Maguire hoping Women's Irish Open can inspire next generation like Rhasidat Adeleke and Ciara Mageean

INSPIRATIONAL: Leona Maguire is hoping this week’s return of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open can reach the next generation of golfers just as Rhasidat Adeleke and Ciara Mageean have inspired young girls with their track exploits. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Leona Maguire is hoping this week’s return of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open can reach the next generation of golfers just as Rhasidat Adeleke and Ciara Mageean have inspired young girls with their track exploits.

Maguire, 29, has become the figurehead of the event since it returned to the Ladies European Tour schedule for the first time in a decade two years ago.

This week’s renewal of the €400,000 tournament switches to Carton House after two successful stagings at Dromoland Castle in Clare, with the first round getting underway on Thursday on the Kildare resort’s O’Meara Course.

Irish athletics is entering a golden period after a summer in which Mageean claimed a European Championship gold medal in the 1500m and Adeleke became the first Irishwoman to qualify for an Olympic sprint final, finishing fourth in the 400m in Paris having claimed a silver in the Europeans and gold as part of a victorious mixed relay quartet at the same meet.

The Cavan golfer is optimistic not only the 2024 Women’s Irish Open can be bigger and better again this time around but also provide a similar inspiration for females to take up the game by watching it up close at Carton this weekend.

“It’s one thing seeing it on TV but to see it in real life is another thing,” Maguire said.

“You see the crowds the women’s soccer team are getting and little girls are getting inspired by that. Or getting to see Rhasidat (Adeleke), Ciara Mageean and the girls out in Morton Stadium, it’s huge.

“The Women’s Irish Open was a big event back when it was in Portmarnock Links and Killeen Castle and to have that 10-year break was a shame but I feel like it’s gone from strength to strength.

"The scheduling has been a little bit of an issue and I’d like to see it still in better dates so that we could get more of a world-class field but bit by bit I feel like there’s been progress made every year, strength of field… you’d like to see the purse go up a little bit as well and that would again attract more of a world-class field.

Leona Maguire plays a shot from the 3rd fairway during the second round of the women's golf event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Pic: AP Photo/Matt York.

“But Carton is going to be great this year. Dromoland has done a phenomenal job the past two years, the crowds were great, so this year has big shoes to fill. That’s the thing, you’re trying to raise the bar every year and the standard gets that bit higher but I think the nice thing for me as an Irish player is that all the other girls on the LET are very complimentary of the event.

"They really enjoy the event, it’s one of the best events on their schedule, which is always nice to hear.

“I suppose the big thing is the opportunity for young girls coming up as well. I got to play in Irish Opens as an amateur growing up and it is a big experience, it is something that you get a taste of whether it is something for you or not, and so people play in it and say ‘yes, this is definitely for me, this is something I want to do,’ and some people say ‘I really enjoyed it but not for me every week’. 

"So I think it’s a big learning experience for those juniors and those amateurs that get to play and for people to come and watch as well, the same thing.”

Maguire returns to Ireland following a tie for 37th in last week’s AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews and confirmation she has automatically qualified for this year’s European Solheim Cup team via the world rankings.

Yet she recognises the extra responsibilities that will be on her as the star attraction on Irish soil this week, albeit in a field with 11 fellow homegrown players, including newly-turned professionals Anna Foster and Annabel WIlson.

“Yeah, there’s obviously a lot of demands on my time, so the nice thing will be the more Irish girls that turn pro I’ll have a little bit more help hopefully in the next few years!

“But no, it’s always an enjoyable week. It’s a demanding week but at the same time I’m happy to my bit to give back and to grow the game.

“I was one of the younger ones and I benefitted from it when I was an amateur golfer so it’s nice that it’s come full circle and it’s back on the schedule and I’m happy to play my part in the event.”