Leona Maguire closes with brilliant 65 but loses Meijer LPGA Classic to Kupcho in playoff
Leona Maguire of Ireland hits from the 16th tee during the second round of the LPGA Drive On Championship at Crown Colony Golf & Country Club on February 04, 2022 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Leona Maguire produced a sensational final-round charge but lost to American Solheim Cup rival Jennifer Kupcho after a three-way playoff in the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan.
The Co Cavan star went into the final round seven shots behind Nelly Korda on 11-under par but produced a birdie barrage on the final day at Blythefield Country Club.
The touring professional for the K Club birdied the first, then followed a bogey at the third with three in a row from the fourth.
She then came home in four-under 32, knocking in birdies at the 10th, 12th 13th and 18th for a closing 65 that tie with Kupcho, who had two holes to play, on 18-under.
Seeking her second win this year, he finished 40 minutes before the leaders but Kupcho could not pick up another shot and carded a 71 to tie with Maguire as overnight leader Korda made a birdie at the 18th for a 72 to join them in the playoff.
Kupcho and Maguire birdied the first extra hole, the par-five 18th, as Korda made par to drop out.
But it was the American who would prevail with a tap in birdie at the second extra hole after Maguire missed a short birdie putt.
“I thought she was going to make it,” said Kupcho. “When she hit it by the hole and I still had to putt from the fringe I thought to myself, that's not a gimme because I was just shaking and missed essentially a same-length putt. But then once I made the tap-in, I was already looking at the rules official to go to the next hole. Honestly, it was just a shock. She went to Duke, I went to Wake Forest. Playing with her so much, she doesn't miss putts. I was really just shocked.”
"Yeah, it's really special,” added Kupcho, who exacted some revenge after losing to 5&4 Maguire in the Solheim Cup singles.
"I've been really close, but, I mean, this leaderboard was stacked. I think that's what I'm most proud of, is players that were up there with me.
"It was a very close battle to the end and I'm proud of it.:”
Kupcho was three-over for the round after six holes but eagled the eighth and birdied the ninth, then birdied the 12th and 14th to edge ahead before that late bogey at the 16th.
“I think I struggled a little bit at the beginning, so it tells me I can really come back from it. I've always known I'm a back nine player, and that definitely came into effect today.”
Maguire had missed four of her last five cuts with the only bright spot a tie for eighth in the US Women’s Open.
The result proves she was not far away from her very best and bodes well for her hopes of contending for the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield later this summer.
