14-year-old golf champion, Leona Maguire has scooped The Irish Times/Irish Sports Council ‘Sportswoman of the Month’ award following two major wins in April.
The Cavan teenager, who has won every event she has entered so far in 2009, became the youngest winner of the prestigious Helen Holm Scottish Open Amateur Championship at Troon.
Earlier in the month, Leona won first prize at the French International Under-21 Amateur Championship.
She has won the award three times in the past alongside her twin sister, Lisa, and will now battle it out with other monthly winners at the end of 2009 to be named the Sportswoman of the Year.
Leona made a remarkable debut at the Helen Holm Scottish Open Amateur Championship at Troon in Scotland where she led from start to finish of the tournament, which featured a top-class field that included several senior internationals.
She finished two shots clear of Scottish under-21 champion Kelsey MacDonald, and 11 shots clear of Carly Booth, the Scottish prodigy who, at 15, became the youngest player to represent Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup. Leona’s twin sister, Lisa took third place in the competition.
Commenting on her win, Leona said: ‘I am absolutely thrilled to receive this award and to be nominated for Sportswoman of the Year. I had never played either of the courses before I came to Troon, but I like links golf.
'The weather wasn’t great, but I loved the tournament. I think my putting was the best part of my game over the three days. I holed a few good ones.’
In early April, Leona celebrated a win at the French International Under-21 Amateur Championship, defeating Klara Spilkova of the Czech Republic at the 36th hole in the matchplay final.
Her victories have taken her to the top of the European Junior Solhemin Cup rankings, making her inclusion in the team for the event, which will be played in Illinois in August, a near certainty.
