College Notebook

Maguire wins Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship

After a very impressive run through match play, Duke University rising senior Leona Maguire registered a 3&2 victory over Ainhoa Olarra to win the 114th Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship on Saturday at the Pyle & Kenfig Golf Club in South Wales.

With the victory, Maguire became the second Blue Devil over the last three years to win the title. Celine Boutier won the championship in 2015. Maguire earned spots in the U.S. Women’s Open and August’s Ricoh Women’s British Open with the title. It was the biggest amateur victory of Maguire’s career.

Maguire, who hails from Cavan, Ireland, opened the day with a birdie on No. 1 to go ahead 1-up, but Olarra responded by winning the second hole. Another win on No. 3 for Olarra and Maguire was 1-down through three holes and faced her first deficit of match play. With her second birdie of the day on No. 5, Maguire went back ahead 1-up and then drained a 10-foot par putt on No. 7 to go ahead, 2-up. She made the turn, 3-up, after winning the ninth hole.

Olarra won the 10th hole, but Maguire came back to win the 11th to maintain a 3-up advantage. Maguire went 4-up through 12 holes, but Olarra won the 13th to cut the lead to 3-up. After Olarra won another on 15, Maguire was 2-up with three holes remaining.

Maguire would close it out on the 16th with a two-putt par as Olarra missed a four-footer for par.

In the semifinal match Saturday morning, Maguire took down Anna Backman 3&2 to advance to the finals.

From news releases

This story was originally published June 17, 2017 at 11:30 PM with the headline "College Notebook."