Leona Maguire will be joined on the European PING junior Solheim Cup team by her twin sister Lisa, after the latter received a wild card call-up today for the August meting with the United States at Aurora Golf Club in Illinois.
The 14-year-olds played a key role in Ireland’s recent win in the European Girls’ team championships at Kokkola, Finland, boasting a 100 per cent record in the foursomes matches played over the week.
Leona was the first of six to qualify, while European captain Carin Koch selected Lisa as one of six wildcards.
The United States team will be announced on July 20th by US Team Captain Nancy Lopez.
“I am really looking forward to this event. Last week at the European Girls’ Team Championship, Ireland played really well and Lisa and I were unbeaten in the foursome matches,” said current French under-21 champion and recent Helen Holm Scottish Open Strokeplay title-winner Leona.
“It is great to have her in the team. We would like to bring the Cup home to Europe.”
Irish Women’s Amateur and Irish Women’s Close champion, Lisa, added: “We might look exactly similar to one another but our swing is different.
“You can definitely see the difference. Right now, I hit it a little bit further and Leona might be a little bit better around the green. I am so happy about receiving a wild card.”
The five other players who earned automatic selection for the European squad were the 2009 German Girls’ Open champion Klara Spilkova (Czech Republic), Ana Fernandez de Mesa (Spain), Johanna Tillström (Sweden), Spanish amateur champion Anna Arese (Spain) and Tonje Daffinrud (Norway).
The five further players selected were Sherlyn Popelka (Switzerland), Sophia Popov (Germany), Rosanna Crepiat (France), Sally Watson (Scotland) and Kelly Tidy (England).
The sisters’ inclusion means Ireland and Spain are the only two countries to have two players on the team.
“There are 10 nationalities in the European team and it means that golf is getting more and more popular, with more countries represented,” said Koch.
“The PING Junior Solheim Cup is a great golf event to take part in and I am really looking forward to sharing my experience with the juniors.
“They will learn so much by being on site and from playing in the matches but also by watching The Solheim Cup. It is also important to have fun. It will create a good atmosphere which is important in a team competition. It is rare that we play competitions like this and so the juniors should take this opportunity to have a great time.
“I will also learn a lot from being the Captain for the European team because it is something new for me and I am looking forward to this new challenge.”
The 2009 European PING Junior Solheim Cup Team:
Automatically qualified
1. Leona Maguire, Ireland
2. Klara Spilkova, Czech Republic
3. Ana Fernandez de Mesa, Spain
4. Johanna Tillström, Sweden
5. Anna Arese, Spain
6. Tonje Daffinrud, Norway
Wild cards
1. Sherlyn Popelka, Switzerland
2. Sophia Popov, Germany
3. Lisa Maguire, Ireland
4. Rosanna Crepiat, France
5. Sally Watson, Scotland
6. Kelly Tidy, England
