Leona lands Top 10 finish at US Open

Cavan golfer secured her second Top 10 finish in a LPGA Major with a final round score of 74.

Cavan's Leona Maguire finished strongly on the final day of matchplay to secure an impressive Top 10 finish (tied for 8th) at the 77th US Women’s Open in North Carolina.

Minjee Lee from Australia, who fired a four-under-par 67 to set a 54-hole scoring record on Saturday, cruised to victory on Sunday carding 13 under, four shots ahead of her next nearest nearest rival, American Mina Harigae (-9). With the win she lifted the top prize worth €1.44 million.

Leona had been on fine form throughout the competition, finishing -2 for the weekend.

On Saturday she put herself into early contention for a strong finish after she birdied the first, and throughout displayed good course management with several more expertly placed shots to continue to mixed it with the leading pack.

The Ballyconnell native though endured a more difficult start on Sunday, with early bogeys at holes 2, 5 and 7, and finding it difficult to get into any kind of rhythm to score more than Par on many of the others.

But Leona's form picked up towards the end, scoring a birdie at 10 and closing out in brilliant fashion, with an eagle at Par 5 15, a birdie at 16, burying a 10 foot putt for Par on 17, and holing from 27 feet for a birdie at the 18 to secure her second Top 10 finish in a LPGA Major with a final round score of 74.

The Top 10 finish will earn Leona a starting-place at the 2023 Open to be played at Pebble Beach.