‘Stay on the fairways’ - Medal-seeking Leona seeks counsel from leading stars

Golf

Leona Maguire has leaned on the experience of fellow golfing superstars Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry as she prepares for a crack at an Olympic medal today (Wednesday).

Maguire will tee off at 12.17pm Irish time at Le Golf National and, her mother Breda revealed to the Anglo-Celt, she has received lots of useful advice from McIlroy and Lowry, who played the course last week and reported it to be a difficult challenge.

“She was talking to both Rory and Shane, and they both told her to stay out of the rough, that it is extremely penal, and to stay on the fairways, that that was the best advice they could give her,” Breda said.

“And I think Rory laughed, and he also said, stay out of the water… because he had an unfortunate ball in the water himself on his back nine yesterday (Sunday).

“So look, that's what they told her, that the secret was to stay on the fairways. It’s a long course. She thought they might have shortened it a little bit for the ladies but they haven't. The only change they've made is they've changed the 18th from a par four to a par five for the ladies. But other than that, they're playing the same course as the men. That is tough.

“She's never played this course before, it's long, a lot of water, we could see it from the television anyway, she said the rough is very thick, and it's a serious challenge.”

Leona, who has made a number of breakthroughs in recent seasons including, most recently, becoming the first Irish female player to win on the European Tour, is in good form and really looking forward to the test.

“At the end of the day, you go out every week to do your best and in any given week, if everything lines up for you, like it did in London a couple of weeks ago, and like it did when she won on the LPGA last year and the year before, you have your weeks when just everything aligns for you and you have a good week.

“She feels on top of her game. And maybe, the dream is, this will be the week that it'll all come together again for her.”

Having partied company with caddy Dermot Byrne, Leona will pair up with Kerryman Vern Tess, who formerly caddied for Major winner Catriona Matthew.

Leona has been used to jet-setting since her amateur days, when she held the record for most consecutive weeks as world number one, and headed for Paris with sister Lisa last Saturday evening after a warm send-off from family and friends in Ballyconnell.

“I wouldn't necessarily she enjoys the traveling but she enjoys where she's going to,” Breda said.

“She was in great form now heading off here on Saturday morning, herself and Lisa left at three o'clock to get the seven o'clock flight from Dublin.

“And we had family and friends over to the house on Friday which was really nice. A lot of family and friends came here to watch Ross's race. Now, Leona wasn't here at the time of Ross's race (Olympian rower Ross Corrigan, first cousin of Leona and Lisa), but she was here then afterwards. And we had a lovely send-off.”

For the Maguire family, it will be a very proud occasion as Leona represents Ireland for the third time in the Olympics.

“We’re extremely proud of her and the work and the preparation that she has put in to getting to where she is, representing Ireland at the Olympics. And anyone that would know Leona would know that she has unbelievable pride in where she's from in Ballyconnell, in Cavan, and then representing Ireland on a world stage. And this is the ultimate, it's the pinnacle of sport for any athlete to represent their country at the Olympic Games.

“And we are just so proud of Leona that she's doing it this year again for the third time, and we'll be out there, we'll be the loudest cheers in the crowd cheering her on! And it would be amazing if she could bring home a medal. It would be her ultimate dream to win an Olympic medal.

“Guaranteed, she will give it her best. She will leave no stone unturned to try and make that happen. That's how she has prepared and as I say, now it's just a matter of getting the rub of the green.

“She'll be able to stand up there and give it her all, no matter who she's up against, and she has proven that in the past.”