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Golf: Ireland's Maguire captures first LPGA title by three strokes

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Agence France-Presse

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style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><div style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZnZKVwpiTl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by LPGA Tour (@lpga_tour)</a></div></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>MIAMI -- Ireland&#x27;s Leona Maguire captured her first LPGA title on Saturday, firing a five-under par 67 to win the Drive On Championship by three strokes.</p><p>The 27-year-old former amateur world number one sank seven birdies against two bogeys to finish on 18-under 198 for the 54-hole event at Crown Colony in Fort Myers, Florida.</p><p>&quot;It has been a long time coming. You don&#x27;t know if it&#x27;s actually going to happen until it does,&quot; Maguire said.</p><p>&quot;I tried to stay really patient today and didn&#x27;t get ahead of myself. Wanted to go out and just shoot a number. I didn&#x27;t want anybody to have to hand it to me. I wanted to go out and win it myself.&quot;</p><p>Maguire kept calm under the pressure of delivering the biggest triumph of her career.</p><p>&quot;Just really proud of the way I played,&quot; she said. &quot;I was trying to go out and shoot 20-under par. That was my goal today. I was feeling really calm. Was staying in the moment.&quot;</p><p>American Lexi Thompson fired a final-round 65 to grab second on 201, one stroke ahead of compatriot Sarah Schmelzel, who shot 64.</p><p>China&#x27;s Lin Xiyu, who had a 63, shared fourth on 203 with Thailand&#x27;s Patty Tavatanakit and Americans Stacy Lewis, Marina Alex and Brittany Altomare.</p><p>Maguire, the first Irish winner of an LPGA event, had the lowest final-round score in a major by any man or woman with a 61 at last year&#x27;s Evian Championship in France.</p><p>&quot;She&#x27;s such an amazing player, Thompson said of Maguire. &quot;She has been striking it well and has made some great putts out here this week. She&#x27;s an amazing talent and I think (the victory) will help her out a lot.&quot;</p><div><strong>- Early birdies &#x27;huge&#x27; -</strong></div><p>Alex and Maguire shared the lead when the final round began and both birdied the par-4 second hole. Maguire took a bogey at the par-3 third but Alex fell back as well with a bogey at the sixth.</p><p>Maguire birdied the par-3 seventh to seize the lead and both women birdied the eighth and parred the ninth to make the turn with the Irish standout ahead by one.</p><p>&quot;That birdie on seven was huge and that birdie on eight was huge,&quot; she said. &quot;I knew someone was going to go low.&quot;</p><p>Maguire began the back nine with back-to-back birdies to lead by three over Alex and Thompson, who charged into contention with birdies at the par-5 fifth and par-4 sixth holes and a birdie-eagle-birdie run at the ninth through 11th holes.</p><p>&quot;Holing out at 10 and then making the birdie at 11, I knew I had to be somewhat close,&quot; Thompson said. &quot;I just tried to stay in the moment. focus on my pre-shot routine. I knew I had to make birdies.&quot;</p><p>Thompson and Alex birdied the par-4 13th, but Maguire did the same to restore her three-stroke edge.</p><p>Bogeys by Alex at 15 and Thompson at 16 plus a birdie for Maguire at 16 allowed the Irish standout to cruise down the stretch, able to finish with a bogey at 18 and still win comfortably.</p><p>&quot;You say you want to enjoy it but it&#x27;s hard until that final putt drops,&quot; said Maguire. &quot;Little disappointed to bogey the last, but it happens.&quot;</p><p>Thompson pulled a back muscle in Thursday&#x27;s opening round and was sore the last two days.</p><p>&quot;It was overall a great week. I played well,&quot; she said. &quot;I was just happy to be out there.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

Ireland's Leona Maguire captured her first LPGA title on Saturday, firing a five-under par 67 to win the Drive On Championship by three strokes.