Leona Maguire wins second LPGA title at 2023 Meijer LPGA Classic

Leona Maguire might have to pay Padraig Harrington another visit this summer. The Meijer LPGA Classic winner credited several key up-and-downs this week to shots Ireland’s Harrington, a three-time major winner, taught her last summer ahead of the AIG Women’s British Open.

As U.S. Open contender Rory McIlroy arrived at Los Angeles Country Club for the final round, Maguire was lighting up the closing holes at Blythefield Country Club in Bellmont, Michigan, on Sunday. After finishing runner-up at the Meijer the past two years, the Irishwoman put the hammer down on the field, playing the last six holes in 6 under to pull away with a back-nine 30 en route to a closing 64.

Maguire, 28, became the first Irishwoman to win on the LPGA in February 2022 at the Drive On Championship. The former Duke player dominated the amateur game, ranking No. 1 for 135 weeks, a record that was only recently broken by Rose Zhang.

Maguire began the day at 13 under and set a goal of getting to 20 under for the tournament. She bested that by a shot, beating Ariya Jutanugarn by two strokes and Xiyu “Janet” Lin and Amy Yang by three.

“It’s hugely satisfying,” Maguire said of her second career LPGA title. “I think it’s one thing knowing what to do; another thing executing on it.”

A well-deserved winning moment for @leona_maguire 🤩 pic.twitter.com/Yp8Fjv0qvL

— LPGA (@LPGA) June 18, 2023

China’s Lin looked poised to collect her first trophy in 202 starts on the LPGA until a misfire off the tee on the 17th hole bounced off a spectator in a chair, resulting in a lie that required negotiating a tree. Lin wound up bogeying the hole as Maguire tapped in for birdie up ahead on the 18th.

“I learned something today, how to stay in process, stay true with myself, with my own game,” said Lin, who recovered from a bout with COVID last week.

“I feel like I didn’t do the best, but I did pretty good.”

Ariya Jutanugarn tried to put together one of the best comebacks on the LPGA since the 1980s after an opening 73 put her outside the top 100. The former No. 1 played the next three rounds 64-66-66 to finish runner-up.