MEIJER LPGA CLASSIC

June 17, 2023

Leona Maguire

Blythefield Country Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Here with Leona Maguire. Leona, to be able to grind it out the way you did to end the way you finished, just how did you step away from today?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, overall I felt like I played okay today. Had a few putts that just sort of sat on the edge and rolled out and stuff.

Drove it quite nicely again today and obviously nice to make the up and down on 17. That was really nice. Thought it was in. That one didn't to go in, but always nice to finish with a birdie on 18 to sort of bring a little bit of momentum into tomorrow.

Q. On the front nine you had those three consecutive birdies. What did that do for you the rest of the round after No. 3?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, nice chip-in on 6 to sort of get the round going.

And then nice birdie on 7.

And then obviously 8 is really good chance, downwind today.

Yeah, like I said, I played solid today. Didn't quite take advantage of the par-5s as well I did as yesterday, so need to do that a little bit better tomorrow and try to make as many birdies as I can.

Q. You still birdied No. 14, the Aon Risk Reward Hole over day this week. What is about that par-5 when you get to that back nine? How does that help your round knowing that you can be aggressive there?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, I hit a really nice drive every day there, which sorts of sets it up. I was just short of the green today. It's probably the trickiest pin I would say all week today, so nice to get a birdie there.

Yeah, you just have to take advantage of the par-5s. You know everybody else is, so you just have to.

Q. It seemed like you had that nice three-birdie stretch. Seemed like one of those days you're trying to seize momentum somewhere. What was that like trying to get it?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I felt like the greens were a little bit slower today so I left a few putts just sitting on the edge. Pace wasn't just quite there.

Yeah, go out a little bit earlier tomorrow I guess, greens will be a tiny bit fresher, and just try and get a few ones rolling nice early.

Q. Sundays get pretty exciting around here. You've been in the thick of it two years in a row. Where does that experience come in for you tomorrow and know what you need to do and making a good run?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, I've done it both ways. I've been up in the lead. I've come from behind last year. I've been in both situations. I think it's going to take a low one tomorrow. Probably going to go low.

I don't think I'll be -- I won't be looking at any leaderboards. Just try and go as low as I possibly can and see if it's good enough at the end of the day.

Q. You talk about not looking at leaderboards. How do you do that? How do you stay in the zone, focused, especially in the final round?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I think on this golf course you know everybody is going low, so even if someone is at 14, 15, you know they're going to get to 17, 18, 20. It's just a case of trying to do what I can do and make as many birdies as I can.

And, yeah, doesn't -- can't really judge on what other people do. So, yeah, stick to my own game plan, hit a lot of fairways and greens, and ultimately come down to who holes the most putts tomorrow.

Q. And then with the momentum that you've kind of built with the birdies on the back nine, how do you carry that over to tomorrow?

LEONA MAGUIRE: I think just a good night's rest tonight and go out early tomorrow. I know I'm swinging it well, so more of the same really. Plan doesn't really change.

Good rhythm, good patience tomorrow, and see what happens.

Q. When it comes to this course in particular, knowing you can be aggressive and have that comfortability, what do you draw on tomorrow? Do you draw on the past two years, or do you just draw on knowing you have the patience to kind of stay up there at the top of the leaderboard?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I think there is -- it's all about finding the balance between being aggressive, knowing that you have to make birdies, versus not forcing the issue too much.

It's just a case of giving yourself chances and just taking them where you get them. And knowing there is chances all over the golf course. It's not just at the beginning or the end. It's all over the golf course. So just taking them wherever you get them.

Q. There is obviously opportunities everywhere, especially on this course. Were you surprised when you walked off not seeing one run away with it? For you, did that give you more confidence heading into tomorrow?

LEONA MAGUIRE: No, I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised to see a few low ones early today, but then I think in the afternoon it always gets trickier. The wind was very swirly, it was gusty on the back nine. The greens are firming up.

So it's definitely trickier in the afternoons. Not surprised that no one got too far out ahead. Yeah, I mean, it's one of those golf courses, yes, you can go very low, but doesn't take much to rack up a couple bogeys either if you miss a few fairways and miss a few greens.

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