In the third round of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open, over the O’Meara course at Carton House, Leona Maguire’s pursuit of the victory failed to take off. Despite a total of five-under-par 214 for 54 holes, equating to a round of 72, the Solheim Cup standout found herself languishing in joint-27th place. She was considerably behind those who were sincerely contending for the winner’s prize of €60,000.
As Annabel Dimmock of England moved into the lead in favourable conditions at the Fairmont resort in County Kildare, both Maguire and her Solheim Cup team-member, Georgia Hall, ended the third round significantly behind the rest. Their aim is to establish momentum in the final round that they can carry forward to the Solheim Cup in Virginia in two weeks time. Last season, Dimmock, whose mother Louise hails from Cork, endured a wrist injury and needed surgery in January. Now she’s leading the pack after setting a new course record of 65, achieving a 16-under-par total of 203. This score leaves the 27-year-old with a two-stroke lead at the 54-hole stage over Ursula Wikstrom from Finland, with Italy’s Alessandra Fanali and Luna Sobron Galmes of Spain joint third, a further two shots behind.
Sadly, disappointment with putting was once more the cause of Maguire’s discomfort. “I don’t think it’s a million miles away. I feel like I’m hitting good putts, many of them just shaving the hole. I have another week to get this sorted; it’s a small issue. Aside from this, my game is in the best shape it’s been in for a while,” said the 29-year old player from Cavan, who is set to take part in her third Solheim.
However, her ambition to add an Irish Open to an illustrious career highlighted by multiple LPGA Tour victories and her inaugural win on the LET at this season’s Aramco London still seems out of reach.
The acknowledgement from the audience, following her last putt of the round to strike a par on the 18th, truly evidenced the affection directed towards her. The spectators in the grandstand, the corporate hospitality, and those surrounding the final green all demonstrated their admiration, a sentiment she heartily reciprocated.
Maguire acknowledged the crowd’s tremendous support and expressed her desire to provide them with something to celebrate. Unfortunately, she couldn’t just reach there. “My performance this week wasn’t erroneous, just not enough of the correct moves,” Maguire explained. She was reassured, however, by her adaptation to her long game over the past two weeks against the Scottish Open and the AIG Open, despite her putting needing improvement. “Surely, there’s a low one out there,” she boldly added before Sunday’s game where she endeavours to post the lowest score possible. Getting back into contention, she believes, necessitates an extraordinarily low score – but she remains hopeful.
Interestingly, Maguire is not bothered about taking any putting distress with her to Virigina. She indicated that after a vigorous four-week stretch, including the Olympics and getting drenched in the Scottish rain, she would take things easy before fine-tuning her preparations for Solheim. The Solheim Cup emphasises executing well in high-pressure scenarios and sinking putts, so she was keen to drum up some momentum in the ultimate round.
Dimmock, who is back to her eighth event after successful surgery on her wrist, is currently ranked 435th in the world. However, this is an unjust reflection given her struggles with injuries, not just to her wrist, but her neck too. Nevertheless, her return to full health has shone through on the O’Meara course, where her flawless round of eight birdies in the third round showcased a stunning 65, setting her on track for a second LET career win. Her first win was in her early career, at the 2019 Jabra Ladies Open.
Teenager from Dublin, Anna Abom, resumes her education this Monday to prepare for her Leaving Cert examination. However, this 18-year-old is not just investing her time in academics but also refining her golf skills alongside the professionals. Her 221 tied-60th two-over-par 78 score in the third round evidently showcases this.