Top-25 for Leona Maguire as Mel Reid breaks LPGA duck
Leona Maguire. Picture: R&A/Getty
Leona Maguire will head to Aronimink for this week’s KPMG Women's PGA Championship with a spring in her step after closing with a 67 in the ShopRite LPGA Classic in New Jersey.
The Slieve Russell National touring professional tied for 24th ($11,955) on seven-under-par, 12 shots behind England’s Mel Reid.
Reíd ($195,000) fired a four-under 67 to win by two shots on 19-under from Jennifer Kupcho ($114,323) and by three from Jennifer Song with Stephanie Meadow ($3,255) tied 58th on level par after a 72.
A six-time Ladies European Tour (LET) winner and three-time European Solheim Cup Team member, Reid said: “I’m just over the moon, so emotional. So happy for myself and my team, there is a lot more to it than just me hitting a golf ball.
“I read a tweet yesterday and it was probably one of the only bad tweets that I got saying she’ll choke. It gave me a bit of motivation. I know it sounds stupid, but probably the best thing I could have read. I was definitely not letting that happen.
“The older you get in this game you do create a few scars. But being 33 years old and lifting this trophy when I had some young players behind me, it goes to show I guess that I like adversity. I’ll always be a fighter and try and fight my way through things. I’m so happy and relieved that I got it done.”
Nasa Hataoka and Nelly Korda finished at -14 and -12, respectively, rounding out the top five. Four players ended in a tie for sixth at -11, including nine-time LPGA Tour winner and 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship winner Brooke Henderson.
RYANN O’TOOLE INTO KPMG WOMEN’S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD
Ryann O’Toole started the week as the second alternate for the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship but had booked her travel already thinking she was in the event. As a competitive person, O’Toole said she wasn’t comfortable waiting on things to fall into place and wanted to play her way into the event with a win at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer.
On Saturday, when Lee-Anne Pace withdrew from the third LPGA major of the season, O’Toole was bumped to the first alternate. She finished in a tie for sixth in Jersey, but with winner, Mel Reid already exempt next week, the last spot in the field goes to O’Toole.
“I was looking like, ‘Okay, who is possible to win that isn't going to take that spot?’” said O’Toole. “So it was sitting pretty nicely, at least I get to ensure I'm playing next week. I'm happy about that.”
O’Toole said she has never played Aronimink Golf Club but is excited to get to the course after hearing glowing remarks from Brittany Lincicome, who was able to play the course on Saturday.
“I'm just happy to be playing, going into this week realizing I'm not in the event. Shame on me for not playing great and all of a sudden, wait a second, I'm an alternate,” O’Toole said. “That was a shock and I was pretty bummed about that, but obviously kicked things into gear for me. To have that opportunity to now be playing and not sitting waiting, not hoping bad on anybody, but hoping I get to play, I'm glad I can just start
U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN QUALIFYING UPDATE
There were two spots available this week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer to qualify for the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open from Dec. 10-13 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas. The following two players—Mel Reid and Jennifer Song—in the top-10 had not yet qualified for the season’s final major and they punched their ticket with a championship-like performance this week on Bay Course at Seaview, A Dolce Hotel, in Galloway, N.J.
The top two players—not otherwise exempt—that finished in the top-10 and ties of the 2020 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, Cambria Portland Classic and ShopRite Classic, as well as the top three players in the top-10 and ties of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, not otherwise exempt, earn a spot in the U.S. Women’s Open field.
Individuals that have qualified so far through this criteria in 2020 include Jenny Shin and Katherine Kirk, with tied for fifth and tied for seventh finishes at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, respectively; Ashleigh Buhai and Yealimi Noh thanks to a runner-up and tied for third result, respectively, at Cambia Portland Classic. Reid and Song now join this bunch as part of the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open field.
Meadow and Maguire have yet to qualify. See field
