Korda wins but Leona Maguire shows Major potential with closing 66
Leona Maguire of Ireland putts for eagle to force a playoff on the 18th green during the final round of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give at Blythefield Country Club on June 20, 2021 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Leona Maguire heads to this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA with a spring in her step after she forced world No 4 Nelly Korda sweat blood to clinch her fifth LPGA Tour win in the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan.
The Co Cavan star went into the final round three shots adrift after Korda blasted a 10-under 62 in the third round at Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids.
Maguire took the fight right to the 18th, where she had an eagle putt to force a playoff but three-putted in the end for par as Korda made a clutch birdie fou to card a five-under 67 to her bogey-free 66 to clinch her second runner-up finish and her fourth top-10 of the season on 23-under par.
“Nelly is one of the best players in the world and went toe to toe with her pretty much all of today,” said Maguire (26) who moves up to 13th in the Race to CME Globe Points list and right into contention for a Solheim Cup debut in September after banking a cheque for $214,011 (€180,00).
“I knew it was going to be a battle. I knew I had a lot of golf in front of me and she had a three-shot head start. This week is going to be huge heading into a major. I knew I was playing some great golf. It's a huge confidence boost for the rest of the season.
“I'm really proud of how I played all week. Hit some great golf shots when I needed to do. I also got off to a really nice start, which I have been doing, and backing it up with three more solid rounds after that.”
Korda (22) saw her three-shot lead disappear after just four holes as Maguire birdied the second third and fourth.
But the American steadied the ship with a birdie at the sixth and while Maguire levelled matters at the eighth, Korda birdied the 10th and 11th to go two clear again.
Korda bogeyed the 12th to see her lead reduced to just one again but she made a slick 15 footer for eagle at the 14th to stretch her lead to two strokes as Maguire also birdied again, then knocked in a 20 footer for a two at the 15th to lead by three.
The American looked set to cruise to victory Maguire hit a great approach to the 16th and after Korda ran her 20 footer four feet past, she made a 12 footer to apply pressure.
Korda three-putted to see her three-shot lead reduced to just one shot but after Maguire secured a fine par at the 17th, finding the green despite driving into trees. But she couldn’t make a 25 footer for eagle at the last and after Korda got up and down for birdie and victory, she missed a short birdie putt for a 65.
“Really proud of how I fought this week, and same in San Francisco last week,” the Slieve Russell star said. “Just didn't give myself quite enough in the end. Nelly is a great player and I’m very proud of myself.”
A relieved Korda said: "Leona's a really good player. Honestly, she kept me on my toes all day. You know, I had to play good golf. There were a lot of birdie opportunities out here.
"I started off a little rough not hitting many fairways, but kept telling myself to battle through it and just to have fun out here.”
Maguire is now feeling good about her chances of contending for her first Major at Atlanta Atlantic Club in this week’s KPMG Women’s PGA
“Nelly is a great player and one of the best players in the world for a reason,” she added. “It was great to be able to test my game against her. I'm really starting to feel like I belong out here. Even though it's still my rookie year, I'm feeling more and more comfortable every week.
“My first time in the last group going into the final round, and really proud of how I managed that. You just never know how you're going to react until you're in that situation. Really proud of how I handled it.”
LEADERBOARD
Player To Par Score
1 Nelly Korda -25 68-66-62-67
2 Leona Maguire -23 65-64-70-66
T3 In Gee Chun -21 68-67-69-63
T3 Brittany Altomare -21 68-66-69-64
5 Anna Nordqvist -20 67-67-68-66
