Golf

Leona Maguire finishes in top 20 at first LET event as a pro

Irish golfer closed out her week with a bogey-free round of 69 in Marbella

Leona Maguire in action during the Andalucia Costa del Sol Spain Open 2018 at La Quinta Golf & Country Club in Malaga. Photo: EPA

Sun Nov 25 2018 - 17:45

Ireland’s Leona Maguire capped off her first Ladies European Tour event as a professional with a best-of-the-week 69 to finish tied 18th at one over par in the Andalucia Open de Espana.

Maguire – who missed out on her LPGA Tour card at Q-school last month – received an invitation to play in the event at La Quinta in Marbella where Ann Van Dam emerged victorious in the rain-affected tournament.

The 23-year-old Cavan golfer kept her card bogey-free on Sunday with two birdies coming at the 15th and 18th as 2019 Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew almost reeled in Van Dam.

Matthew, along with the Dutch winner and Spain’s Azahara Munoz had to play 25 holes on the final day after returning early in the morning to complete their third rounds.

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She faced the unlikely target of reducing Van Dam’s seven-shot advantage but could only match her opponent’s one-under round of 70 to finish six under as her rival closed on 13 under, three ahead of Munoz, for her second victory in Spain in two months.