MAINEVILLE, Ohio — Leona Maguire might finally have her mojo back. After what has been a challenging summer for the Irishwoman, one that hasn’t seen her break 70 since the second round of the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give in June, Maguire has been more than ready for the tide to turn as the 2024 season begins to wind down.

Maguire teed it up for the European Team last week at the Solheim Cup, losing her four-ball match alongside Georgia Hall on Friday afternoon and then winning her singles match 4 and 3 over Ally Ewing on Sunday to go 1-1-0 in Gainesville, Va. The Europeans ultimately fell to the Americans 15.5 to 12.5, a disappointing result for the Blue and Yellow, who had retained the Cup in the previous three editions of the biennial team competition.

Much was made of Maguire’s limited participation at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club last week, as she had played all five matches in her previous two Solheim Cup appearances, but the 29-year-old put those conversations to rest on Thursday afternoon at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G.

“Me and Suzann (Pettersen, the European Team Solheim Cup captain) are on very good terms,” Maguire said. “I have a lot of respect for her. She was a hero of mine growing up. Ultimately, it was her decision last week. She did what was best for the team. I would've been happy to sit out every match if it meant we brought back the trophy. I knew my game was in good shape. I showed that in the singles last week, and I’m trying to finish off the season as strong as I can.”

And it appears that her form on the final day of play in Virginia has seemingly carried over to this week’s tournament at TPC River’s Bend. Maguire kicked off her week in Maineville, Ohio, with a 5-under 67, a round that saw her make one bogey, four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 6th hole.

The 67 is Maguire’s lowest round on the LPGA Tour since she recorded a 66 on day one of the Cognizant Founders Cup in May, and it was a first-round effort the two-time LPGA Tour winner was incredibly pleased with, even more so considering she came straight to the Buckeye State from the Solheim Cup, a week that can often be draining for the 24 athletes competing.

“Solheim is always one of my favorite weeks. It was a lot of fun with the team,” said Maguire. “There hasn't been a lot of the fun in my golf this summer it seems like, so it was nice to have that last week, so bring more of that into the back end of the season.

“Trying to be a bit kinder to myself and enjoy my golf a little bit more. Build off the momentum of last week. The last couple of Solheims, I've played five matches, been exhausted after the Solheim, so nice to be a little bit fresher this time round.”

The Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G marks Maguire’s 18th start of the 2024 season, and despite her recent woes, things haven’t been all bad for Maguire this year.

She has collected four top-15 results in her 17 previous tournaments, one of which is a solo second that came at the T-Mobile Match Play presented by MGM Rewards, and she finished in a tie for 24th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Sahalee Country Club. Maguire also ranked eighth on the LPGA Tour this season in strokes gained around the green ahead of this week, picking up 0.41 shots on the field with her short game.

With 54 holes still to play at TPC River’s Bend, it might be a touch too early to say that Maguire has completely shifted gears and gotten the train totally back on track when it comes to her golf game. But her Thursday 67 is definitely a step in the right direction, one Maguire will try to build upon over the next three rounds at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, both mentally and physically.

“I'm getting better. It's hard,” said Maguire when asked about giving herself grace. “Nobody has higher standards for myself than I do. You put in an awful lot of work, and when the results don't show, it is frustrating. I know I have the game to do it. It's just a case of believing in myself a little bit more. Nice to see some results lately.”

Leona Maguire Finding Form Again at Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G

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