Leona Maguire had a great finish at the 2022 edition of the AIG Women’s Open ending the week in a share of fourth place.
The Solheim Cup star produced rounds of 71-69-71-66 for a total of seven-under-par at Muirfield for her best finish in a major.
But Maguire, who recently won her second LPGA Tour title at the 2023 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, is anticipating a different kind of challenge at Walton Heath.
“I think it’s a very different British Open test than we’ve had the last few years,” said Maguire. “The golf course is soft and there’s a lot of woods out there, and there will be a lot of hybrids.
“I played the back nine this morning, and apart from the par-fives, I think I hit one iron into the green. It’s definitely playing long, and I imagine it will dry out as the week goes on hopefully and a few tees will get moved around. Overall, it will be a really good test.”
Maguire will be teeing it up in the first round at 8.09 am (local time) alongside 2021 champion Anna Nordqvist and Korea’s Jin Young Ko.
And the 28-year-old knows patience will be key on this golf course and is hoping to take advantage of the par-fives where possible.
She explained: “You’re always trying to get better and better, trying to get yourself into contention. It’s a very different test to Muirfield.
“Muirfield was a proper sort of links test, with the wind obviously on the last day. We’ll judge by whatever we get this week and definitely try to keep the ball in play. I think staying out of the bunkers and out of the heather will be the big key this week.
“I like hitting my woods and my hybrid, so it’s not something that bothers me. The greens are huge. There are some really, really big greens, so there will be a lot of pace putting in the practise round as opposed to sort of chipping around the green.
“You’re just going to have been patient and take your chances where you get them. As with any major, the par-threes are tricky, so you need to take your chances on the par-fives and elsewhere.”
Follow all the action on @LETGolf on Instagram and Twitter and Ladies European Tour on Facebook and YouTube – #RaiseOurGame #AIGWO.
