DOWN MEMORY LANE -- LEONA MAGUIRE - SOLHEIM CUP STAR

Leona and Lisa Macguire 2011
The McGuire twins win the team award for Ireland -- Troon Ladies Captain Gilly McRae presents the Trophy

Leona MacGuire 2010
At the Helen Holm 

Leona McGuire  - Helen Holm winner 2009 

In 2009 -- Teen sensation Leona Maguire made history when she became the youngest winner of the Helen Holm Scottish Women's Amateur Open strokeplay title at Royal Troon in 2009

The Cavan prodigy, 14, finished two shots clear of Scottish Under-21 champion Kelsey MacDonald for a wire-to-wire win on six-under par.

Twin sister Lisa finished tied for third on three under par thanks a third successive round of 74. She birdied four holes coming home but a bogey six at the 16th cost her a share of second place with runner up MacDonald --- CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

With Leona Macguire being the GB&I  star performer (4.5 points out of 5) in the 2021 Solheim Cup, it reminded your webmaster of being at the  2010 and 2011 Helen Holm Trophy at Royal Troon where she was playing and taking some photos with many of our Scottish players taking part and many supporters there 

HERE IS A REMINDER -- DOWN MEMORY LANE PHOTOS (plus the 2012 Curtis Cup that she was in)

2010 HELEN HOLM PHOTOS  

2011 HELEN HOLM PHOTOS

EUROPE WIN 2021 SOLHEIM CUP TO CREATE SOLHEIM CUP HISTORY

Catriona Matthew

Catriona Matthew created Solheim Cup history as the first European captain to win the biennial contest back-to-back, following a dramatic victory at Gleneagles in 2019 with another sweet success in an equally-thrilling 17th edition in Ohio. 

Leading by two points heading into the final-day singles at Inverness Club in Toledo, the Scot’s side were up in eight of the 12 matches at one point before holding off a late fightback to win 15-13 as they became just the second European team to triumph on US soil. 

After victories for rookie sensation Leona Maguire, Madalene Sagstrom and Celine Boutier, coupled with half points from Anna Nordqvist and Nanna Koerstz Madsen, Matilda Castren, the first Finn to play in the match, delivered the point that retained the trophy. 

The stand-out player and player of the tournament was Leona Maguire, so it was very fitting that she won the first point with a 5&4 victory over Jennifer Kupcho.  

Maguire, the first Irish player to compete in the match, went on to win 5&4, putting the first point of the day on the board and taking her personal tally for the event to an impressive four-and-a-half points, which constituted the best-ever debut in the event. 

READ MORE 

Solheim Cup - DAY 2 - Catriona Matthew hails "crucial" lead for Europeans

Just as well Catriona Matthew is a cool customer. A calm head, after all, will be needed in the European team room heading into the last-day singles after a roller-coaster ride for her players so far in the 17th Solheim Cup in Ohio. 

Leading by three points overnight, the Europeans were up in all four games at one point in the morning session on day two at Inverness Club in Toledo only for the momentum to swing over to Pat Hurst’s US side.

Matthew is now bidding to become the first European captain to record back-to-back wins and she’ll certainly have faith in her players after the way they dug deep in the penultimate session.

“It was certainly a roller-coaster this afternoon,” said Matthew. “The last 20 minutes for us was crucial, I think. After having such a big lead from yesterday, we wouldn’t have wanted to give it all up, so it is great that we are going into tomorrow with a two-point lead.“

READ MORE - BY MARTIN DEMPSTER - THE SCOTSMAN

It was a day of two halves and, no, I'm not just talking about there being a morning and an afternoon session! Team Europe lead Team USA by two points heading into the singles matches.

Two sessions and two similar outcomes made for a thrilling second day at Inverness Club. 

In the morning session, Team Europe started in the way they had finished on day one, but after a strong start the leaderboard shifted to red. The same happened in the afternoon session, except it was Team USA who started strong and Team Europe who then made a comeback. The day ended with USA gaining four points to Europe's three and setting up a final day that is just too close to call.

WOMEN AND GOLF REVIEW - CLICK HERE

Results Day 2

Day 2 Foursomes - USA 3 GB&I 1

Day 2 Fourball  - USA 1.5 GB&I 2.5

After Day 1 and 2 -- USA 7 GB&I 9

Monday Singles  

Nordqvist v Thompson 

Sagstrom v Ewing 

Maguire v Kupcho 

Hall v Korda 

Boutier v Harigae 

Madsen v Ernst 

Castren v Salas 

Ciganda v Altomare  

Popov v Khang  

Reid v Noh 

Hull v J Korda  

Pedersen v Kang

SOLHEIM CUP DAY 1 GOES TO EUROPE AMID A CONTROVERSARY

 DAY 1 -- READ REVIEW FROM WOMEN AND GOLF MAGAZINE 

Europe ended the opening day holding a 5.5-2.5 lead, but the Solheim Cup was once again shrouded in controversy in the 17th edition at the Inverness Club in Toledo.

Swede Madelene Sagstrom was left in tears in Ohio despite Catriona Matthew’s side emerging with a healthy advantage in their defence of the trophy.

In an event that has witnessed its fair share of unwelcome heated debates over the years, Sagstrom picked up opponent Nelly Korda’s ball close to the hole after the American had almost holed an eagle putt at the 13th and handed it to her.

According to the rules official with that match, Sagstrom had infringed the rules, having deemed that it was overhanging the hole and, therefore, she should have waited for 10 seconds before intervening.

Day 1 - Results

Foursomes:  USA 0.5 GB&I 3.5

Fourball:  USA 2 GB&I 2

To read the full report by Martin Dempster in the Scotsman --- CLICK HERE