Leona hails first US Open top-10 as major “progress”
Leona Maguire hits a shot on the 12th hole during the second round at the 2022 U.S. Women's Open Presented by ProMedica at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C. on Friday, June 3, 2022. (Darren Carroll/USGA)
Leona Maguire hailed her first top 10 finish in the US Women's Open as major "progress" as she pocketed the biggest cheque of her career at Pine Needles.
The Co Cavan star (27) had missed the cut in her three previous appearances in the game's toughest event, never once breaking or even matching par in any round.
But after closing with a three-over 74 to tie for eighth on two-under, 11 shots behind Australia's Minjee Lee, she was more than pleased with her finish.
"It's my first top 10 at a US Open, first cut I've made at a US Open, so that's big progress for me," said Maguire, who spent four years at nearby Duke University.
"And really enjoyed the week, really enjoyed being back in North Carolina, so overall it's been a great week."
Coming into the event on the back of three missed cuts, she followed a brace of 70s with a three-under 68 in the race for the $1.8 million top prize.
As a result, she went into the final round trailing by eight shots in a tie for 10th but hoping to post a low number and exert pressure on the eventual champion.
In the end, challenging pin positions and firmer conditions allowed just two players to break par and none to dip into the sixties on the final day.
As a result, Maguire dropped four shots in her first 10 holes before a birdie four at the 15th helped her record her second career top-10 in a major and her biggest payday as a professional.
"Yeah, didn't get off to the best of starts but tried to stay really patient," said the Ballyconnell native, whose cheque for $261,193 (€244,000) was bigger than the $225,000 she won for her maiden win in the LPGA Drive On Championship in February.
"I knew everybody was struggling out there," said Maguire, who took her career earnings to $1,656,400.
"I knew it wasn't going to be easy out there. A lot of the pins were tucked, and you couldn't make a lot of birdies. It was just trying to limit the amount of mistakes, really.
"I think it was a little firmer today and it was definitely set up a little bit tougher. There was definitely a little bit more breeze; pins were a little trickier today. Overall that's reflected in the scores.
"You couldn't get close to a lot of the pins today, so you just had to take your chances when you got them."
Leading by three shots from Mina Harigae on 13-under overnight, last year's Evian Championship winner Lee had enough with a level par 71 to win her second major with a championship-record 13-under total of 271.
She joined Jan Stephenson (1983) and Karrie Webb (2000, 2001) as Australians to win the US Women's Open and earned $1,800,000, the largest single prize in the history of women's golf.
"This is pretty special," said Lee, now an eight-time LPGA Tour winner. "This is the one I've always wanted to win since I was a little kid, so it just feels pretty amazing to be able to get it done today. I just can't believe it."
Harigae shot 72 to finish solo second on nine-under for the best finish of her LPGA Tour career.
With a record $10 million purse, she received by far the largest payday of her 13-year LPGA Tour career - a cool $1,080,000.
