No Laying Up - Golf Podcast - NLU Podcast, Episode 514: Leona Maguire

Episode Date: January 19, 2022

Leona Maguire joins the pod to recap her rookie season on the LPGA tour and her sensational performance at the 2021 Solheim Cup.  We also get into her amateur and collegiate career, the positive momentum surrounding the LPGA tour, future venues for the majors and a ton more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I'm going to be the right club today. Yes! That is better than most. That is better than most. Better than most. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the No-Langah podcast, Sally here. Irish fans, rejoice. We got her. Leonima Guyer is coming up shortly. First, a quick check in with our friends at Callaway Golf.

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back on. So yeah, I hear the being on on your guys back for a while. It's crazy. I would we cover a lot of golfers all over the world on both men's and women's side. I have to say your support rivals anything, anything else we see for any other player. It's really, really impressive. So how have you, so we're getting the LPJ season starting up this this week you're you're you're gonna be playing your first tournament next week how have you spent your offseason? Yeah I mean it's it's come by really quickly it always seems like we have lots of time in the offseason and then it goes by in a

flash so got to go home for about a month which was nice catch up with some friends and family and take it easy. It felt like this sort of 2020-2021 season kind of rolled all into ones. It almost felt like a two-year season. So definitely needed some rest and recovery after that. And yeah, it just worked on a few things then with my coach and got in the gym a little bit. And yeah, I headed back out to Orlando last week and a couple weeks in some warmer weather than Ireland to sort of get back into the Swede things before the season starts. What's your reception like when you do go home? Is it is it is it different than than any other time in your life? It's definitely

not busier. I don't get to go home quite as often as I used to. So yeah there's a lot of usual demands of my time when I go back but it's nice it's nice I suppose, be busy and that people want to talk to you and want you to do things, and but it's always nice to spend time with family as well and catch up with my friends. And I suppose Christmas is one of those nice times where a lot of people are all for at home or that sort of thing. So it's it's normally a little bit less hectic than when I go home and maybe in a gap before the British or something like that at the summertime. Do you like the way the LPGA season flows? And you've had, I guess you're coming off your rookie season, which was really two seasons kind of in one here.

So you don't have a ton of history to compare it to. But in terms of some time off, does it feel like the right number of events does that help contribute to the best players being on the course at the same events more often? I'm curious your perspective on that after a couple of years out on tour. Yeah, I mean, I guess I'm still kind of figuring out which courses I like, which events I like and which ones sort of maybe to skip and that sort of thing. It's a little bit of a slow start to the season. We've got these couple of events in Florida and then we've got three weeks off, and then we go to Asia. So the season is a little bit of a slow born,

and then it gets really hectic really quick. And those summer ones are definitely pretty hectic. Obviously this year, we're at the Solemn Cup in the Olympics. The summer is a little less hectic, which is nice. I mean, that was just a crazy stretch last year. We went from America back to Evian, then we went to Tokyo,

then we came back from Scottish British, and then promised my stretch so hard. That was probably the craziest sort of stretch of golf on three different continents in a very short space of time. So that was definitely a lot to deal with, but I think this year will probably flow that little bit better. And this was hopefully with travel restrictions and all of that easing up and it'll be a little easier but yeah I mean there's definitely certain tournaments people like going to there's definitely terms people had escaped so still still kind of figuring that out and I guess any of those ones that you play well at you you definitely want to go back again. Well how would you characterize how you're you know you're you're 2020 slash 2021 season how

does that align with you know maybe the goals that you would have set for yourself? Just wondering how, you know, where you stand with your current game and accomplishments to this point in your career? Yeah, I mean, my rookie season went pretty much as well as I could have hoped that 2020 was a big learning year for me, figuring things out. And I guess we were lucky. My rookie class to get that sort of year and a half to figure things out. And last year, I thought it was really comfortable in my game.

It was really, really consistent, which was nice. And we've got a few top 10s and got in contention a few times. Didn't quite finish it off the way I would have liked. And in a couple of those, but overall, a lot of positive sort of to take from that. And picked up a little length last year, which definitely helped. Going into those greens, I feel like I'm at a point where I'm never going to be the longest on tour, but long enough where it's not a disadvantage and then just sort of definitely learn lashing that iron play is a big thing, getting those approach shots in as close as possible.

That's a big thing and my point is always been a strength of mine, so just relying on that, I give myself as many chances as I can. Is that something that you either knew going into your professional career or that maybe you've learned being out there that you or, you know, did you feel like you needed to increase distance to compete out there? And does that, do you see the benefits of adding some length

into how that plays into your approach playing, getting the ball closer to the hole with your second shot? Yeah, I mean, I think going from college and the amateur ranks to to pro golf, a lot of the events I'd played on the LPG were all majors, again, in different exemptions from winning things and that. So those golf courses are traditionally always longer. The pins are a little bit tough, the screens are firm or so. Definitely Lent has a huge advantage at the majors. I would say I've been able to do in which order clubs is a massive advantage and spin it to be able to stop when those pins get tucked

at the weekend. But overall I think Lent is yes, it's an advantage but I would say there's still a premium accuracy and lapigyeh. I mean you look at a genuine coach game, many creams and regulations she has and obviously this success that sort of followed that. Nellie is obviously very long but is a great iron player as well. So I think I'd rather be the best iron player on tour than the longest hitter on tour for sure but it's I mean you have to do everything well. The RPG is so strong right now there's so many good players we can make out you kind of have to take all the boxes really. Is that you know about I was gonna say

this one maybe for later but who do, when you look around the LPGA tour and everyone, I'm going to skip past the first answer because everyone's first answer is Enbee's putting that they would, if you, if you look at any other skill any one player has that you could steal that you could trade your part of your game for what, what comes to mind? And I know I could see by the smirk on your face that imbi's putting came to mind to start. I think anybody in golf would take in be spotting. I mean inbies a lot of things short game wedges. I mean I played with her in car Newsy this year and she had it in a few favor bunkers

off the tee but the amount of time she chipped it out and then got up and down from even 150 yards for power was incredible. I mean, Lydia's always, when Lydia's on her game, Lydia's very, very impressive. Her wedge is her iron play. I mean, Nally, from top of the bottom, is very about a genuine, her approach shots. They're probably, I mean, the top three players in the world right now for a reason. I think you take pretty much any part of their games. Well, let's back up then a little bit to your background. Kind of tell us where you're from, everyone knows you're from Ireland, but what's your what's your home town like, you know,

kind of what was your development into and how did you end up at Duke University? That doesn't seem to be quite the normal path for a lot of golfers coming from your neck of the woods. So where does that story start in your mind? Yeah, I mean, grew up in a tank called Valley Town in in Cavenon, Ireland. Pretty small town, a few thousand people. It's not a big golfing community by any means. There's the Sleeve Russell Hotel, which has a golf course attached to it. And there's a nine hole part three course out in an 18 hole. And you couldn't play the 18 hole course until you turned 12. So necessarily so now we started at the 9-hole and five-three course when we were about 10.

Got three clubs to start off with. That goes like a driver, three-wood sort of thing, and then like a seven-iron and a potter worked our way up from there. And as we played, all sports growing up, it was never the intention to be a professional golfer. Love, never-sport played soccer, a gale of football, a lot of of swimming when they're younger. I mean, I hear a lot of girls that say they picked up golf when they were three or four just after they started walking that wasn't as well as we were considered late to the game almost picking it up at 10 but talked to

it really quickly. And yeah, kind of snowballs played in Ireland in events then went over to Europe playing and some events got to go to the junior Ryder Cup, junior soul on Cup and remember going to the USM in Charleston 2013 and it was sort of deciding is college golf the right partner. It seemed like then to us a lot of the best players at that USM were in college. like then to us a lot of the best players at that USM were in college. Either in college or going to college and reached out to some of the coaches that had been touched and before with us and Coach Boss came back from Duke and was very excited and visited a few places and visited Duke and it was one of those things where our parents were both school teachers so they wanted us to

somewhere where had a good standard of education, the degree would be worth something after we're done. And yeah, I mean, what's not to love at Duke? The facilities were awesome. Coaches, I think, the whole environment, just, I remember me and Lisa, we visited and I was like, I wanna go here and she's like, I wanna go here too, so that's kinda where,

where our journey at Duke started, went over there with what is your case and golf clubs, mom came over, dropped us off, got us out of the our journey Duke started went over there with what is your case and golf clubs mom can over dropped us off got a set in and off we went. So you go to Duke and you I was predicting that you would probably do this. You're probably going to downplay your amateur career and how successful you were and kind of just, let's just, let's just say, let's just say you ran things freshman year, you win ACC, you were second in nationals, national freshman of the year, national player of the year. When does the conversation turn to professional golf and, you know, fast forwarding here, you end up playing three more years of amateur golf? Why was that?

What led to that decision and how do you look back on that decision now? It was always my intention for four years. It didn't really cross my radar those first two years at all. I remember I got presented with the Anica Award after we were done, that's that strobe play section. And I never come back into the club, I just know that, I remember Emma Talley, when my good friends coming up, she'd be going,

are you gonna come back next year? I was like, obviously, of course it wasn't, it wasn't even a consideration, but then people started asking the question, are you, are you going to turn pro? Are you going to come back? And for me, that wasn't even a question. I 100% was coming back all of that every year and thought about it, I think after myself, my year, myself, he didnheared and go quite as well as I would have liked. I wasn't enjoying it as much and thought maybe now is the time to go turn pro and ahead for the LPGA and then played Q-School. I had a good chat with my dad with the coaches after that and said, you know, what, I've met a commitment here. I've had a great time at Duke. That's due two more years and I'll be in any better position to go to the LPGA after two years and I really really wanted to

win an national championship at Duke. I think that was a big part of my state. We came close a few times but didn't quite get that done but yeah I mean it was it was important for me to sort of honor that commitment to the coaches and the teammates that believe in me and I'm in droops and I'm proud of because I had, I had for almost four years there I enjoyed pretty much every minute of it and it goes by, it goes by quickly and I feel like those are years you're never going to get past the LPG is always going to be there and I remember talking to some of the girls that were out here. That's what they always said, don't be in any rush. The RPG is not going anywhere. You'll never get those college years back.

And I mean, I have them back in that position since. Very quick break here to check in with our friends at BMW. They've been a long time supporter of our content. We don't talk about them too much here on the podcast. That's going to change this coming year because they're making some changes. They got some brand new stuff. You might have thought BMW was just the ultimate driving

machine, but it is so much more. It's also the ultimate electric driving machine. The ultimate buddies trip machine. You see it, see us using driving BMWs on all of our tourist sauce trips. The ultimate design machine because the ultimate cannot be contained to just one thing. All electric all BMW visit BMW USA.com to learn more about the IX and the I4. Let's get back to the Elinomaguar. You played in a lot of professional events as an amateur. You know, for several years, you played in major championships. You made cuts in major championships.

When you do flip the switch and turn over to playing professional golf, does it feel different when you put the T in the ground for the first time and you're officially playing as a professional? Yeah, I mean, it was a little different. I think it was nice to have that experience of playing in some of those bigger majors and stuff like that. So I knew what to expect. A lot of the faces were familiar either from junior golf or college golf or those pro events that I'd play it in. So, but yeah, it's different. There's no cuts in college golf. There's none of that. And I think the scheduling of it, that was something completely new to me, going week to week to week to week,

new state, new country, every other week. That was completely different to me. We'd never done that before. So that was definitely a big adjustment. I mean, you learn kind of as you go along, I guess, a little bit of trial and error in that regard. How has your comfort level evolved on playing on the LPGA tour, where you maybe a bit gun shy in the beginning

and now starting to feel a little bit more like you belong, what's that progression been like? Yeah, definitely. I think Gany Rookie sort of coming out here, not quite sure how things are done or what happens. You definitely sort of go on to the pop windows first few weeks, getting a hold away from everybody else

in a quiet corner, you're saying on the driving range or you're looking up and down the range. I mean essentially you're playing with the people that you've grown up watching on TV for the last 10-15 years and then all of a sudden you're competing alongside them weekend-regued. So it's definitely a little bit of adjustment that mindset of feeling like you deserve to be there. And I think that was something that That I was glad I went to Symmetra right that I really felt like I'd earn my spot on the app. You know that my game was in a place that I deserve to be be there and competing against press players and the world But it also every everything is new. Every golf course is new.

You have to learn how things are done, the range, all of that different sort of stuff. So, yeah, I mean, I've been fortunate to have some players to be advised along the way and sort of ease that transition as well. Well, not only that, you go from 135 straight weeks as the number one amateur on tour and you did not qualify for the LPGA tour right out of school

and you go out to the symmetric tour. What did you learn about, you know, being a professional playing out on the symmetric tour? I've heard, you know, a lot of stories of, you know, just learning about traveling and hotels to stay in and all these things, you know, what was your year on the symmetric tour like in that regard? Yeah, I mean, like you said,

you go from being a, in a big fish in a quite a small pond, a very small fish in a gigantic ocean when you turn pro like you turn pro your amateur record doesn't matter nobody cares and you have to earn your stripes all over again so yeah I mean too much is an adjustment we it's a lot of random places I felt like I want to some some places in America that I never thought I'd go to before. My first event was in Decay, Illinois, yeah, which, yeah, a lot of the golf courses were great,

which was really good prep. The fields were so deep and I'm knowing that you had to shoot a few under a par to make the cut every week. I think it was learning how to make costs, then moving day on Saturday and posting numbers. That sort of thing. I definitely learned a lot with that and also with the schedule. I think you go from college, you're so busy in college. You have your golf schedule, your class schedule, workouts, hanging out with friends.

All of that, you don't have time to think, but it's also all planned out for you. Whereas you turn pro and all of a sudden you have a lot of free time and as was the struggle for me was having all that free time and resisting the urge to just practice all the time because I had so much time. So planning out my weeks a bit bit better so I wasn't completely flat by the end of the year and I played that second half of the season on Symmetra right after I turned pro after college and I was completely flattened by the time I got to Q-school. I was way too tired to Q-school and I ended up missing by a shot but really if I had a plan at my my schedule and things a bit better and maybe things would have worked out differently but that's that's only we have to figure out but definitely learned a lot

that that year 2019 on Symmetra and just competing weekend, weekend and and paying the forearms and all of that sort of stuff and yeah I think my my cast on Symmetra that year did did pretty well obviously party won a major and that's so yeah definitely good prop. Yeah that's kind of the old that's kind of something that you won a major, and that's so, yeah, that's a good prep. Yeah, that's kind of the, that's kind of something that you just are gonna have, that's trial by fire. That's something you have to learn that way. There's no other way to learn that those kind of lessons

than actually go through them and, you know, feel that exhaustion. I'm sure it's just, you're chomping at the bit to play as much golf as possible and trying to get better, but learning the part of being a professional is knowing when to dial it back and find some balance, I'm sure is a hard,

yeah, I mean, and another big thing I guess when he was was learning how to work with had he and in college coach Brooks our coaches sort of taught us to be as independent as possible. And some coaches are there all the time. All the teams all that I literally hardly ever saw our coaches. John sometimes coach Brooks hardly ever in college in my four years he only probably saw me hit a handful of all shots and that was usually on 17 or 18 in the last day and I knew it was important

when he appeared. So I'd gone from being so independent to all of a sudden having a caddy there 24-7 and I didn't know what to do with him for a few weeks. I didn't know. I was pulling my own clubs, doing my own yardages, all of that. And yeah, Espo was getting getting the most out of that relationship, was a big learning, learning experience for me. And that year on the Sumatra Tour definitely helped with that. Hmm, that's interesting. I've never heard that as a growing pain to learn from. But I've been dying. I made it this far in.

I want to talk Soulheim Cup. I'm sure it's a fresh enough memory that you're not tired to talk about it just yet. So you come out, you're rookie on the team. You play five matches. Was that always the plan? When did you learn or know that you were going to be playing that much? Were there, you know, was Captain Matthews just riding the hot hand?

How did that play out? Yeah, I mean, not in the million years, I think I'd play five matches. I had a coat of pomerig-inly a few days before we flew out to Toledo, just for some advice. And I'm seeing he was a very successful rider, a couple of captain and a rider of player himself. So just picked his brains a little bit. And a lot of what we talked about was what to do

when I wasn't playing. Those those sessions if you were dropped in the morning how do you prepare how do you get ready how do you conserve energy how do you warm up all that sort of thing if you're dropped in the afternoon again how do you build up that energy cheer on your teammates whatever it is that dynamic that we spent quite a bit of time planning that. We didn't plan for five matches. He basically told me he's like you're a rookie, you won't play five matches. Probably nobody will play five matches if they do it. It probably would be a veteran player. So the intention was never for me to play five, but I guess someone probably has to. I know

I knew there was a few of the girls in the team that had requested afternoons off and stuff like that to be fresh for the same girls. And I mean, I was just riding the wave, I guess, of adrenaline or whatever. And we knew the pairings for those first two, those first two matches the first day. And then Beanie said that night, she told us who was going out in the forces and then said, the four-bow naches, that Sunday afternoon, she was like, I'll let you know as the morning

unfolds. I'll try to get to you if I can't and assume you're playing, but I'll try to get everybody that sort of thing. And I personally had assumed I'd probably be drafted for the afternoon. I was thinking there's no way I would play five. I've had a good run, fours enough, whatever. And then Susanne appeared on me and Mel were going to end at 12, 13th February maybe. And we were quite a few up at that stage. And she just around to go, you two are going again, get this thing off and get ready to go again. So

this thing off and get ready to go again. So that was the realization of okay we're going five here and I actually the first day I brought a second pair of shoes to the golf course with me knowing I was going out again that second day I didn't because I didn't think I was going to be going in the afternoon again. So yeah, yeah, ultimately it's it's what I we have today the team that that road changes as the week was on and just got out of the to get my points. Well, this answer may be maybe obvious, but what I mean, what is it about that environment that allowed you to thrive? I mean, I I've not watched you play a lot of stroke play golf, but the your energy, like the what the how the speed at which you were walking the fire in like, this

will look on your face, looks different than what we're used to seeing you play golf. Is that, you know, just a product of the environment and team golf in general? Am I on to something there? Do you, would you watch that? Do you see a different person? Yeah, I mean, I've also team golf. I used to love representing Ireland and in our international competition this week, the European team champs.

It's every summer. It was my favorite event for some singles. Used to be a fourth, and my turn is this release and had a blast in that. Loved Cardinals' golf. So all that sort of thing, junior round-up, junior solo and cups. And my four-year-old user Duke was 14 events.

Yes, there was a lot of singles component to it. But my main objective every week was doing as well as I could for the team and I think that's why I played so well in college. It was, it was never about me, it was about the team and I loved every minute of, so I'll end up that team atmosphere of doing, doing your part for the team. I was, obviously, fortunate to have two great partners in, in Melbourne, Georgia, who had a lot of experience under their brother, two very different players and two very different dynamics. But I think Mel was great that first morning, especially with the draw we got against the quarters. I needed someone who had me that wasn't afraid of Nelly and Jess that respected them but wasn't afraid of them. And I think that that was

great for me. I knew I knew she wasn't afraid. And I knew she trusted me 100% and I trusted her. And I think that was massive sort of in those partnerships, but with Jordan and with both. Well, what is it like playing with Mel? She seems like just a, you guys seem like you have very contrasting personalities and I think she even made a comment to that at some point after one of the rounds.

But how did that period come about and what's it like play with her? Because she's intense. Yeah, I mean, I think that was a pairing like we said all week. We joked about it all week. Neither of us so coming when Beanie, Beanie told us, um, I think it was on the Wednesday night. We hadn't practiced together at that point.

We've never, we've never played, we'd never played together ever. And then I actually did end in anything. I know what her game was like. It obviously grew up watching her on TV and stuff. And yeah, Beni was going through the order. And she was like, I'm not on. The teller's gonna lead us off. I think it was Georgian Celine,

but we're two great parents to be going out first and second. And Celine and Georgian obviously had a phenomenal record at the end of the year. And then I was kind of going going out first and second and Celine and George at obviously had a phenomenal record at the end of the year. I was kind of going through it in my head and I said, I'm probably not playing the four seasons, that's fine. Whatever I knew Charlie and then we're coming up and then she said, man, I'm definitely not playing that. I mentioned Mel and Leona.

I think I nearly fell off my chair. That was a pairing I never saw coming. But yeah, I think just right after that, we were super honest with each other about what we wanted, what we thought was best for the partnership. Remember, we went out that first morning on Thursday to play some portions, and we got to,

we went out in the back nine, and we got to 10th, and 10th, Green, and that says, I want you to read all my plots, all my plots. And I was like, my lab never seen you hit a pot. I have no idea. I have no idea. And she's like, no, you're good at read plots. I want you to read my plots.

I trust you 100% dead weight. This is what I want. And we just went from there and we had a lot of band. We're back and forth. Very different personalities, probably, but quite similar sense of humor. I guess her being English, maybe in Irish, we kind of bound stuff each other a bit and both very competitive,

neither of us wanted to lose. And we jailed pretty well and bound stuff each other quite nicely. What is it about match play? And one thing I've always loved about team events, both Soul Hime Cup, Rider Cup, Presidents Cup, all team events is, there's the number one player in the world,

number two player in the world, whatever it may be, a day into it, that person might seem really vulnerable and a different person emerges that is like, okay, that is the person that I don't think anyone's gonna beat this week. And like if I'm looking at this, this Solheim Cup was stacked on both sides,

there's major champions all over the place. And you know, you don't jump off the page going into it as being far and away the best player in the field. Yet something turned pretty quickly and it just became this thing where like in match play, I don't see that person losing match. What is it? What is about match play that is so different

from stroke play in that realm? I've watched it up close and I still can't fully wrap my head around how like, if I, you know, Nelly was the number one player in the world at the time. If I'm comparing the two of you at like a major championship, like I had a hard time seeing Nelly losing to anyone yet in the match play. I'm like, I don't see Nelly beating Leonor right now. Why is that in your mind? Yeah, 100%. I think statistics and rankings and a whole of that go at the window with

match. I don't know. I mean, if we, if we knew the answer, I think it's a lot of mental probably, you just need that. I never say I attitude in match play, you're never truly out of it until it's over into that match. And all it really takes is one shot. One shot to turn the entire match. Momentum is just so, so key in match play, I think as the European team, I think we just hold a few pots at the right time and any time

they sort of felt like the momentum was swinging back towards the Americans, somehow we find a way to swing it back and the guys have done the radical for years, you see people like Holdra who have made a career out of playing phenomenal at the Radical. I don't know what it is. As Europeans, we just seem to find that, whatever that competitiveness is, we grow playing match play as well, which definitely helps. I mean, a lot of our big amateur events are match play events, so we've grown up playing it from a young age, but yeah, we just we just find a way it's hard to explain and as was your your journey for your teammates and we weren't just a team of that I think that week we were we were more of a family that week and

we just really rallied behind each other and we weren't bothered by the crowds sort of embraced that silence and took on that role as underdogs and really really well and yeah I mean it's it's hard to quantify what that means. But I think it does transmit over in those matches. And how does it, you know, the team being a family, you mentioned that. And that was a huge takeaway for me. We were blessed with a great opportunity

to be pretty up close and personal with both teams. And we're not in the team meetings. But we got to celebrate some of you guys afterwards. We're walking and we see the team interactions. We hear the conversations today. For the first time ever in team golf, I was able to at least start to understand the value in having a strong team atmosphere and how that can help promote playing good golf. How do you explain that?

How does just good team atmosphere help promote good golf shots? That's something that I think that link explaining that link has been a struggle for a lot of people that cover golf. Yeah, 100% I think every single person on that European team player, caddy, helpers, captains, everybody arrived in Toledo with an open mind of going, I am here to do whatever it takes to help this team win. We knew things were probably going to be stuck against us that we knew on paper. We probably weren't supposed to win everything the way the crowds were, all of that.

On paper, we weren't supposed to win. And we were honest about that. We wanted to win. But we knew the chances weren't exactly in our favor, but every single person bought in. And I think that it filtered down from the top. Beanie was so calm. Nothing was a problem, nothing was a panic. And I think that just filtered down throughout the team.

Laura was the same. Suzanne was the same. I mean, fiercely competitive people, but incredibly calm. Everybody knew the role, everybody knew exactly what they were supposed to be doing. So yeah, I mean, I think everybody just felt really comfortable. There was no egos as well, which I think is massive and in team golf. I mean, Anna just wanted to show up and she was treated the exact same as the rookies and went out of her way to help us rookies as well. So I think that those are the sort of things

that are invaluable to team, the older players sort of taking the other players under the wing, sharing experiences, just checking in. I mean, so many times throughout the week, sort of Karada Mel, Ana, Suzanne, coming up to me, just go, are you okay? Do you need anything?

How's it going? This is coming up. Just the communication was massive as well. And you know exactly where we're supposed to go, what we're supposed to do. And we also had pun, I mean we had ping pong tables, nudity tables, cards, everything going in the team and everything was kept relaxed. There was no there was no big team bonding activities, no schedule, sort of things. There was no, I know the Americans did personality tests, a lot of schedule things that they had to do. We had none of that.

There was no frills, no fuss. It was all pretty organic. And everybody, Gen. Yni, got along and enjoyed spending time with each other, which that's something you can't teach. It's either there or there, it's not. But, and then, being, he being he was an incredible captain and everybody just sort of bought into to what we needed to do that week. Well, the celebration was a blast to be a part of.

If I may say it was kind of funny. One of the one of the things that sticks out of my mind was it took you a little while a little while to come out of your shell, a little bit, but everyone at some point, almost at the encouragement of the other teammates was like pulling people into dance circles and I can kind of sense like a, I don't know, well, something lifting off of you at a certain point in the celebration party. What are your memories of that? Yeah, I mean, I think that's the Europeans are always known for their celebrations. I think that was something that sort of mail and the older players that said at the start

of the week, no matter what happens this week We'll have we'll have a party and on Monday and and let's just make it as let's give ourselves a reason to celebrate and I think a few of the Americans sheltered in as The as the evening went along because you could probably hear our music and singing in forever from all around the hotel But yeah, I think we are the champions played 18 times in a row if I remember right? Yeah, it was probably on a loop that the cup was doing its rounds and everybody getting to drink out of it and all of that and yeah, doing that loop to the top of you and ran the circle a few times. And I think I remember at one point that Mel had me up from behind, lifted me up and I think Beanie like through through some, the cup was pretty full at that point that Mel had me up from behind lifted me up and I think Beanie like through

some, the cup was pretty full at that point, got completely doused in whatever she poured over my head and yeah it was all, it was all a good fun and I think everybody enjoyed sort of having that moment together to celebrate that together with all the people that made it possible. So you know what's the coolest thing that's happened since the Soulheim Cup? I've seen pictures of you out on the pitch and I were sporting events. I've seen articles about you on CNN.com, not even necessarily covering golf things like that. Have you felt your kind of profile, Ray, you know, raise and has it raised back home?

And what's, what are some cool things that have happened since that event? Yeah, I mean, I, I knew there was a lot of support back home during the event. I sort of, we were so busy all week. I wasn't on social media in all the time, but during the days I followed like in the Instagram Twitter, everything like was blowing off all of that and it seemed like a lot of people at home were watching it that wouldn't normally watch golf and wouldn't watch it. He's gone for that for that matter, but yeah, I mean, flew home the next day. Dad, dad picked me up from the airport. Mom and dad picked me up and we stopped by dad's school, dad's a teacher and all the kids had prepared like posters and and a song and and all of

that and they performed for me and I mean I was pretty jet lagged pretty tight. All I wanted to do was home to bed and it was cool to see those kids so excited about golf and the soul on golf and all of that and went to bed for a few hours and then dad kind of said, you know, there's been things planned in our hometown that evening. I thought it was just going to be a little thing turned out. It was me riding around our hometown in a gold beach really convertible with bipods and the fire engine and the police escorts and flashing lights and people out waving flags and yeah, I mean it was just incredible

And again like where I'm from I Mean I know pretty much everybody they know I flag off, but I think it was the first time that a lot of them had watched it and watched it for multiple days, all of a sudden everybody was an expert on women's golf. I'm so done, God, but it was nearly this, that, you know, Anadis, Matilda, whatever, like they knew they were experts on what the pairing

should have been, who hold fought putt how to get what shot at the right time. It was, yeah, it was crazy. And as we're seeing that joy, how much joy it brought to people. That was, that was the really cool thing for me. It was incredible that I finished on a Monday, I think. I think a lot of people in Ireland, the hardcore fans were watching on Saturday, getting behind, getting behind, then also it sort of filtered through on Sunday. This is getting your, your, your for leading,

Riven Irish girl involved all of this. So a lot of people sort of picked it up maybe Sunday afternoon evening in Ireland and then they're like, oh, this is, this is really good. This is entertaining. And then, oh, great, we have another day on Monday. And so the fact that we cheered off in the afternoon on Monday over in Toledo, it was five six-cam at home. A lot of people came home from work and watched on Monday, and it wasn't competing against any major sporting event. Even though Sunday seemed like a lot more

people cheered into, so I'm then they did the FedEx, but I think that contrast was pretty. I run a guy's playing for $50 million versus girls playing for no money except pride and it's a drill out more exciting and entertaining. So yeah I mean that was that was the cool thing for me seeing how much enjoyment people at home sort of got behind it and got behind women's golf which which will be a sign of things to come. And for the listeners, like, you were the first Irish woman ever to play in this whole Heimkut. That's got, you know, that's something I didn't realize until, uh, until I read about it. Probably I think afterward, but do you sense, you know, you haven't been a professional too long, but do you sense momentum in the world of, of women's golf?

If I'm looking at, you know, the person creases of the majors over the last five years and how, you know, just specific to the majors, they almost kind of seem like they're trying to outdo themselves. And I'm starting to sense some momentum in terms of media coverage and people tuning in and talking about LPGA golf more. Do you sense that out on tour?

Do other players sense that out on tour? Is that a topic of discussion? Yeah, 100%. I think Mike Juan did a great job, but bringing more events, bigger courses all of that during his time and commissioner and it seems to be only growing. I mean, you see the announcement with the years. It's open going to 10 million and 12 million. I mean, that's incredible.

The big thing for me is getting to play on the biggest venues, getting to play the courses that we grew up watching the guys play, getting to go to the biggest venues, getting to play the courses that we grew up watching the guys play, getting to go to Pinehurst, getting to Pebble Beach, Riviera. These are workhouse venues. So I mean KPMG, I know that was a big part of when they took over the Women's PGA Championship, getting to go to Congressional and Ballt-Stroll. And these venues, Women's Golf has always been good. It's probably as strong as it's ever been. The death is probably the best it's ever been. and ball troll and these venues. Women's golf has always been good.

It's probably as strong as it's ever been. The death is probably the best it's ever been. And it's nice to see sort of nanny and those girls getting the recognition they deserve in the media and that. And it does help to have an American at number one. I think American fans like to have one of their own to root for. But yeah, I mean, if it turns out to be a competition between the IG British Open and KPMG and the US Open C who has the big parts, I mean, that's

only better for us as the years start to go by. As honestly as you possibly can, is it different? How different is it teeing it up? The purse was going to be 5.5 million. I think that's what it was last year for the US Women's Open. Now it's going to be 10 million this year. Like, are you going to be, are you at least to get a little bit about the money when you're

playing for that much money? Yeah, I mean, I mean, what was the one to share some like 1.8 million, something like that? I mean, that's, I mean, that's, that's life changing. That really is. That's how I go in the lottery at home, really. We don't do it for the money. We do it for the love of the game, but it's also nice to sort of get that compensation.

And yeah, I mean, the US Open is going to be the biggest event of the year. I think that would be a goal of mine last year. I missed the US Open last couple of years, but qualifying by like a spot. And I knew it was going back to Pine Niels down the road from where I was at Duke. And I really, really wanted to be be there and was able to lock up sort of qualification for that at the end of last year through my CME points. And I think when I saw that announcement, it made it even nicer as to those that everybody's really going to want to be there in pine needles. And I would imagine those qualifiers are going to be a lot pretty quickly of a lot of people

dusting off the club to try and get a chance. And those are the kind of things that just drive generations, not quite generations, but the next wave of player that just make the more money in women's golf is going to add to more competitiveness. It's going to, you know, the more professional careers that can be supported, it really has an opportunity to grow very, very strongly in that regard. I mean, we've seen that on the men's side, you know, with Tiger Persons coming in and how that has changed the competitive nature of that tour. I think, you know, from the beginning of when we started doing this podcast and covering golf to now, I truly do sense some momentum in the world of women's golf on a lot of those fronts and a lot of a lot of sponsors and Mike Wann himself are responsible, you know, get a lot of credit for, you know,

putting the money up and letting people play for it's exciting. But what do you think about a US women's coming, US women's open coming to Enverness in 2027, of course, you're intimately familiar with. The whole time we were there, we're like, this is a US open golf course. Did it not feel like that when you were there? 500% it was, yeah, even right from where we got on site

on Tuesday morning I hadn't played the drive-on events that was my first look around it I mean Personally, I'm a big fan of Don Ross design So I was excited going to him But I was knowing it was a Ross design and the Roth was long you had to hit first yes the fairies were fairly generous, but you had to hit fairies greens were firm Depending on how the wind was it paid totally different different and it was 100% a US open venue.

And you just, you got punished for hitting bad shots and you got reward for hitting good shots. And that's exactly what a major championship venue should be difficult, but fair at the same time. Two things on the team golf front as well, from your past as a young amateur. You were, you and your sister brought the Ryder Cup trophy to the stage for the closing ceremonies at the 2006 Ryder Cup. How did that come about and what do

you remember about that? Yeah, I mean, I don't 100% know how it came about, but I I mean, it was a it was a massive deal and I don't have the Ryder Cup there in you know, six and tickets couldn't be got it. It was, remember, there was a lot of different things going on and somehow dad was able to get tickets for the first day and we got the phone call through that maybe they wanted to bring us to bring up the trophy at the opening or at the closing ceremony. And I remember me and they sort of looked shit

and was like, well, would there be tickets? It could be on tickets as part of the deal. We were more interested in what it mean we get to go and watch and whatever. And they said, yeah, of course, it'd be the last day, you get to go and 100% sun us up and what we need to do. And yeah, I got to bring it out, but the the closing ceremony got, got to watch the golf all that last day. And remember watching Dying Car finish off this match and those sands and it was incredible the atmosphere. That would be an Irish open before,

without was the first major major golf event we'd been at. And yeah, I mean, atmospheres and credible, it was obviously great that the Europe had won and there was a huge Irish contingent involved as well and got to meet all the players. So we were in like a room behind the stage before the closing ceremony, got to meet all the the players and we were running around getting pictures and autographs and all that sort of thing and

yeah I mean mainly had those pictures on our wall and those pictures and the guys and the European guys and their pink pink suits and all of them were on our walls for quite a while. I got a picture with Tiger and all of that. It was one of those experiences that, as a, what we were 11, as an ev-roger, you're never going to forget. That was, it was kind of a surreal thing and we got to bring it up and remember the blue tactile-ed shot was they were afraid to move and drop it. And yeah, we brought it up for it up on stage. And yeah, I mean, it was it was one of those things that, yeah, you never forget. I said, that's got to be about the best possible age

for something like that. It was about your most impressionable that you could be, you'll remember that and you're probably, you know, as in all of the people you're meeting as it would be possible. So finally shifting away from Soulheim Cup, Slash Rider Cup here, Dal. I want you to fill in this sentence for me. If I do blank much better this year,

I'm going to win a major championship. What's blank right there? Probably continue to get my hands better. Talk to somebody the whole is something that I'm looking on getting, that can sustain especially in the majors. The major championships that that pins are that little bit more tucked and definitely

getting those those approach shots or something that I've been working on. Have you got a chance to dive into any of the statistical advances that have been made, you know, in the women's game this past year, KPMG is, you know, put together

a, you know, basically their own version of strokes gained. Has that helped you at all? What has that taught you? Yeah, it's been really interesting. I suppose sort of the opposite of the time to sit your it. I mean, there's a lot of data there and it's evolving all the time. I think it was interesting to look at. I know we mentioned it earlier that in-beath putting stats and seeing how impressive it

was, sort of from that 15 to 20 feet, 20 to 25 feet range. It's just mind blowing some of that, but also the sort of proximity to the whole and why the best. There was definitely trends that you could see in sort of the top 10 players in the world what makes them successful. They weren't the longest drivers of the ball. They were generally the ones that were gaining sort of shots, gain sort of approach and approach into the green and on the green sort of thing. So that's that's definitely where the the premiums ask for for me right now. I think I was like neutral off the tee getting a little bit into the green getting a little bit around the green and then getting quite a bit potted for me. So I'm trying to get those sort of shots gained

approach into the greeners is something that I've been working on. Well, tell us some for those aren't familiar about your sister. She's your twin sister. She's 15 minutes older than you. She was also, she played with you at Duke. Can you tell us about her transition

into client management, why she made that decision so early on her professional golf career? I know I've read her saying it's a lot better, making it, watching you sweat over five footers than sweating over them herself. But I know you can't necessarily answer directly for her but I'm sure you can provide some perspective there. Yeah, I mean, professional golf is not for who.

It's tough. I mean, it's not as glamorous. Maybe there's a lot of people think it is. And it's not any fun missing putster or being on that other end. And it is a grind. And I suppose she enjoyed her time at Duke but I guess she wasn't maybe seeing the rewards on the golf courses in relation to the

time she was putting in, she struggled a little bit of her injury as well and didn't particularly like the lifestyle of being in a different country every week and sort of grinding out to make cuts and all of that. So yeah, she transitioned over to work on the modest golf with my management company and there's a lot of sort of my planning and the just to good stuff which makes my life a lot easier. And yeah, it's also she's also gone back to back to school back home in Ireland and she's in her inner second year of studying dentistry. So yeah, she's got a lot of balls in the air right now. Oh, that's a common path for a lot of managers.

I talk to a lot of managers that are also, you know, going to school for dentistry at the same time. That's very normal. Yeah, I mean, she's got a lot of potential clients in the LPG that have already, when she was at the few events, she's already definitely got people that have sort of boot. She's got another three years left in dental school, but there's a few people that definitely have appointments already

booked for three years down the line in 2025, 2026. What are what are some of or you know your number one or top few favorite golf courses to play in Ireland? Oh, I mean, we've we've so many. We're really spoilt for choice, I think. You know, I haven't, I suppose that's the thing with what we do, but a lot of the course I haven't played unless we've had a tournament there. But I mean, I mean, I'm a big fan of Lingscalph. I'm the hinge is one of my favorites. I really like the hinge. Raw putt rush, I think is a great venue. As is Port Shure, which is right next door and probably doesn't get the credit it deserves because it's so close to Royal Port Shure.

Royal County Dan again is stunning. I haven't got the chance to put it all ahead. I've heard it's phenomenal. Some of the views there, that's definitely on my list. That's a dare manner. But like I said, we're kind of spoiled for choice, but probably the hinge in Port Shure but Russia probably my top three, I would say. Have you made it up to Karn and Belmullet?

I doubt many tournaments had that way, but it's not too far from Ross's point in the Ninniskrone and other course like that. Have you made it there? I haven't, no, I played Ross as an in-scrone, but I haven't made it across to Karn. That's another one that needs to be added to the list. A hidden gem gem per se. Yes, it's it's not it's it's getting less and less hidden as the years go by. But man, that that whole corner, if you make it up there to play Ross's point and

car and it's like you said, you guys are so amazingly spooled. I think a lot of people don't realize the population of I own is about 5 million people. Yet you end up with, I don't know, probably 20 of the top 100 golf courses in the world, maybe that might be a little bit high, but you, it's, it's, it is, it is, but I had a feeling that, you know, there's probably a lot of them that you haven't gotten to yet, because it's not necessarily easy, easy traversing, and you probably don't seek out a ton of, a ton of golf courses that you're not competing at, is that fair to say?

Yeah, generally, when I'm, when I'm home, I'm kind of, for a break, but, you're not competing at, is that fair to say? Yeah, generally when I'm home, I'm kind of for a break, but yeah, I definitely, there's a few that I need to get to at some points. So yeah, I mean, hopefully, if we've been on Irish Openback on the schedule, sometimes we can maybe check off a few of those at some of those workouts venues as well. Favorite golf course you've played anywhere in the world?

Oh, wow. This is all, it's a tough one. I feel like this is all distorted by anywhere you play well. Generally, all this goes straight to the, the top of the list. I was talking the other day with someone about Hawaii and that I enjoyed playing in Hawaii in the wind and they said, yeah, but that's because you played well there. So, that has a huge bearing over it. I really like King's parents. I really enjoyed the British Open Air. I thought it was a great test again. I'm probably a little bit

advanced with links and pine herds also is a favorite of mine as well. So I'm like I said, really looking forward to going to pine needles this year in particular. The best of that question is I could ask you it next week and you'll probably give me a different answer. And I'm the same exact way. It's like, today this is my favorite. Today this is my favorite. So, all right, we'll let you go Leon. I'm looking forward to watching this year on the LPGA Tour. I really appreciate you spending some time with us and telling some stories and hope to

do it again sometime in the future. Thanks so much for joining. Thanks for having me. Cheers. It's been a right club. Be the right club today. Yes! That is better than most. How about in? That is better than most.

Better than most. Expect anything different. Expect anything different.