LAS VEGAS — Leona Maguire exited LPGA Match Play at the semi-final stage after she lost 2-1 to Japan’s Ayaka Furue in Las Vegas.
The Irish professional golfer came into the last four clash in confident form as she remained unbeaten in the tournament after holding off American Lindsey Weaver-Wright 3-2.
The 2022 runner-up levelled matters by the 10th and had enough with one-over-par figures over the next seven holes to claim her place in the final.
“Yeah, just didn’t have my best stuff today,” Maguire said. “I think a couple of costly bogeys on the back nine.
“But, you know, Ayaka played solid. She basically played the way I played the rest of the days. Didn’t really do anything wrong.
“I just didn’t hole the putts when I needed to. Overall it’s been a good week.”
Despite playing in difficult temperatures, Maguire recovered after losing the first to ensure she was two up after eight holes.
But the arduous task of competing in six matches in the space of just four days finally took it’s toll on the back nine where Furue would win four holes and lose none in the process to seal a 2-1 victory.
In the other semi-final, Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn defeated Linn Grant 3-1 to set up a final against Furue.
Maguire admitted she simply didn’t put herself in a position to attack and hadn’t the ammunition to fight back against the 2022 runner-up when she fell behind.
“I kind of put myself in a few wrong spots that I couldn’t be aggressive and had to play safe,” she said. “I was trying to play for pars instead of giving myself birdie chances.
“I think that caught up to me on the back nine.”
Looking forward now to this week’s Mizuho Americas Open in Jersey City, she added: “There has been a lot of golf this week, a lot of good golf. I’ll take the positives from it
“I think this is one of the toughest courses we play all year, so I played some really, really good golf around a really good, tough golf course.
“So try and bring that momentum into next week.”
Furue faced Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn, a 3&1 semi-final winner over Sweden’s Linn Grant, in last night’s decider.
“I’m totally satisfied with my play today,” Furue said after her win over Maguire “But honestly, luckily she has some mistakes.
Elsewhere, Padraig Harrington leads the way after three rounds in the Senior US PGA Championship at Frisco, Texas having recorded a four-under 68.
The Irishman is on 16 under, one shot ahead of Steve Stricker, who shot a 64 in the penultimate round, and three ahead of Stewart Cink, who shot a 67 which included a hole-in-one while playing alongside Harrington.
The 51-year-old Dubliner is going in search of his second career Champions Tour Major win.
“I love playing competitive golf where you’re trying to win. I know it’s a Major and you want to go out there and win Majors more than the next event.
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