The Albany Gazette - Solheim star duo Maguire, Reid seek LPGA crown

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Solheim star duo Maguire, Reid seek LPGA crown

SPORTS 12.07.2022

Solheim star duo Maguire, Reid seek LPGA crown / Photo: Gregory Shamus - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File

Ireland's Leona Maguire, aided by some tips from Tiger Woods, will pair with England's Mel Reid in this week's Great Lakes Bay Invitational, reuniting their unbeaten 2021 Solheim Cup partnership.

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Maguire won twice in foursomes and halved once with Reid in four-balls in Europe's 15-13 victory over the host United States last September at Inverness Club in Ohio.

They decided to partner again this week at Midland (Michigan) Country Club in the LPGA's 72-hole pairs event that tees off Wednesday.

"We had a great week at Solheim last year, so make it an annual affair I suppose," Maguire said. "We'll both have some fun, hit some good shots hopefully, and lots of laughs out there."

Reid, who partnered with Spain's Carlote Ciganda last year, found Maguire a natural choice.

"We did so well at Solheim and she's a great player," Reid said. "I'm excited for the week."

Maguire was the only woman in the 50-player JP McManus Pro-Am, an Irish two-day event which Woods and other top men used as a tuneup for this week's British Open.

"It was a really cool week, one of those once-in-a-lifetime things," Maguire said. "Got some good tips off Tiger so we'll bring it into this week."

Maguire shot four-over 148 to share 33rd, a finish that put her ahead of Woods, US Open winner Matthew Fitzpatrick of England and Sweden's Henrik Stenson among others.

"There was 35,000-40,000 people a day," she said. "Crowds were insane to have people sort of shouting your name and little kids wanting pictures and autographs. It was incredible."

Maguire, 27, became the first Irish player to win an LPGA title when she took the Drive On Championship in February.

She finished eighth at the US Women's Open last month and lost in a playoff two weeks later at the LPGA Meijer Classic.

Reid, 34, has won six Ladies European Tour titles and captured her only LPGA crown at the 2020 ShopRite Classic.

Golfers will play in foursomes and four-ball formats this week.

Thai sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn are the defending champions but not the only siblings in the field as US sisters Nelly and Jessica Korda will also team up.

Swedish legend Annika Sorenstam and Australian icon Karrie Webb are in the same LPGA field for the first time since 2008.

Sorenstam will partner with compatriot Madelene Sagstrom while Webb pairs with American Marina Alex.

It's the final tuneup event before next week's major tournament, the Evian Championship in France.

(H.Schneide--BBZ)