Leona Maguire turned the primary Irishwoman to win on the Women European Tour after making a surprising eagle on the ultimate gap of the Aramco Group Collection held at Centurion Membership.
The Solheim Cup star led from the primary day within the particular person competitors on the Hertfordshire venue after rounds of 66 and 72 moved her to the highest of the leaderboard on -8.
It was an up-and-down remaining day for Maguire who made the flip in two-over par, and she or he was degree on the again 9 heading into 18 understanding she wanted to make an eagle to safe victory.
After driving simply wanting a fairway bunker on the par-five remaining gap, she hit a surprising second shot with a hybrid to 5 toes to go away herself with a really makeable eagle putt, which she duly rolled to make historical past on the LET and win with a complete of eight-under-par.
“I really feel like I did it the arduous means immediately,” mentioned Maguire. “It was robust on the market; I didn’t play my finest golf, however Dermot, my caddie, simply saved telling me to remain affected person. Proper earlier than that shot into 18, he mentioned to me ‘let’s hit the shot of the yr right here’. It was an ideal quantity, and my trusty hybrids got here in helpful as soon as once more.
“I knew Alison [Lee] was making a run, I assumed I must get to 10-under-par – that was the quantity I had in my head. I simply hung in there even when issues weren’t going proper and waited for a flip, and it was good to complete in model on 18. I’m wanting ahead to the summer season forward and couldn’t ask for a greater begin to this a part of the season.”
Talking about her eagle putt on 18, she added: “I used to be simply making an attempt to hit putt! It was slightly bit like a Solheim Cup, I knew no Irishwoman had ever gained on the LET earlier than. That putt was for me, that putt was for my household and that putt was for Eire. It was a proud second.”
Spain’s Maria Hernandez completed in second place on seven-under-par after a bogey-free remaining spherical of 68. The Spaniard rolled in birdies on holes one, 5, 10, 16 and 18 to seal one other top-10 end on the LET in 2024.
Three gamers completed in a share of third place with Eire’s Lauren Walsh, America’s Alison Lee and England’s Georgia Corridor all on six-under-par.
TEAM EVENT GOES TO PLAY-OFF
Within the staff competitors, Group Nadaud secured victory over Group Corridor after a three-hole playoff on the finish of the day. The captains headed again to the 18th tee as France’s Nastasia Nadaud and England’s Georgia Corridor went head-to-head to win the staff title.
Each gamers made an eagle on the primary playoff gap and a birdie on the second playoff gap earlier than Nadaud rolled in her birdie putt on the third to safe victory for her staff.
“I don’t even know the way I dealt with this! I used to be so nervous on the primary tee,” mentioned Nadaud, who remains to be an adolescent. “I used to be actually afraid I wouldn’t hit the ball. I used to be so nervous, I used to be trembling.”
Czechia’s Kristyna Napoleaova, who was a profitable captain in Hong Kong final yr, defined: “We had been tremendous nervous on the sidelines, it was wonderful to look at each Nas [Nadaud] and Georgia [Hall]. Each of them performed unimaginable golf, I believe everybody right here loved the playoff. It was so enjoyable to look at. For it to be eagle-birdie-birdie from these positions. It was unimaginable, effectively finished to each groups.”
Newbie George Brooksbank added: “It has been unimaginable to play with them and to look at and I had each religion, each time Nastasia had the putter in her hand I assumed the ball was going into the opening. It was nice to be right here.”
