Leona Maguire took another massive step towards becoming Ireland’s first Solheim Cup player and boosted her confidence for next week’s Olympics when she equalled the lowest score ever shot in a Major – male or female – with a 10-under 61 in the Amundi Evian Championship.
The Co Cavan star’s bogey-free, 10-birdie round left her tied for sixth on 13-under, just five shots outside a play-off that saw Australian Minjee Lee defeat Jeongeun Lee6 at the first tie hole.
It was a career-best finish in a Major for Maguire (26), and after earning $124,938 (€106,137) to move to 11th on the Race to CME Globe order of merit, she was thrilled to join an exclusive club after Lee6 matched Hyo Joo Kim on Friday as the only players to shoot 61 in a Major.
“I’ve just been really consistent and giving myself opportunities,” Maguire said at the finish. “My irons have been good; it’s boiled down to then how I putt. And there wasn’t a whole lot of difference between the 61 and 71 (on Saturday).
“I came off the course feeling like I played great and just didn’t hole any putts, and today they went in.
“I hit it that little bit closer and just holed a few more putts. It’s fine margins in golf. Today was all about getting a good round in and trying to get the momentum going into the Olympics next week.”
Maguire birdied her first three holes, picked up two more birdies at the seventh and eighth, then followed a birdie at the 10th with four in a row to finish in a 24-putt round.
Stephanie Meadow also finished well before the trip to Tokyo, closing with a 67 to tie for 29th on five-under and move up to 85th in the race to keep her card.
As for the title, Minjee Lee came from seven shots behind and closed with a 64 to force a play-off as Lee6 struggled to a 71.
Just two weeks after brother Min Woo took the Scottish Open with a birdie on the first play-off hole, she then birdied the par-five 18th in sudden death to claim her fifth career win and first Major.
Meanwhile, Darren Clarke had to settle for third place in the Senior Open, two shots behind Stephen Dodd after closing with a three-under 67 at Sunningdale Old.
The Welshman (55) was tied with Spain’s Miguel Ángel Jiménez playing the 18th but hit a superb approach shot to ten feet before rolling in the birdie putt for a two-under 68 to the Spaniard’s 65 for a one-shot win on 13-under par.
Paul McGinley tied for 46th on six-over after a closing 71.