Leona Maguire out to build on Open showing

By Sports Desk
Published 11th Aug 2022, 06:00 BST
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The ISPS Handa World Invitational gets unerway this morning, an event tri-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour which sees men’s and women’s tournaments taking place simultaneously in County Antrim.

Players will complete 18 holes at Galgorm Castle and 18 at Massereene Golf Club before a halfway cut – to the top 60 and ties – is made in each tournament, with a further cut after 54 holes to the top 35 players and ties.

The £2.5million purse will be split evenly in an event which was elevated to European Tour status following a successful inaugural edition on the Challenge Tour in 2019, when home favourite Stephanie Meadow won the women’s tournament and Jack Senior claimed the men’s title.

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Ireland’s Leona Maguire will have plenty of support as she bids for the title on the back of a tie for fourth – her best major result to date – in the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield.

Leona Maguire in action during the Pro Am event prior to the ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics at Galgorm Castle and Massereene Golf ClubsLeona Maguire in action during the Pro Am event prior to the ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics at Galgorm Castle and Massereene Golf Clubs
Leona Maguire in action during the Pro Am event prior to the ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by AVIV Clinics at Galgorm Castle and Massereene Golf Clubs

“I think Muirfield you couldn’t switch off for a second,” Maguire said. “Like most links courses, you really have to pick your targets and execute as well.

“So you want to prepare as well as you possibly can, but at the same time conserve energy too. There a little bit more demands on my time this week as well than normally would be at any other LPGA event.

“It’s nice to be home and in front of home fans this week. I have plenty of friends and family coming to watch this week that don’t normally get to see me play normally, so it will be nice to have them all around.”