The Maguire twins, Lisa and Leona with Stephanie Meadow and the integrants of the men's team.
Stephanie Meadow and world amateur No 1 Leona Maguire will take another giant step in their stellar international careers when they tee it up in the Olympic Games in Rio on Wednesday.
Leona has been draw in the first group alongside Brazi's Miriam Nagl and Malaysia’s Kelly Tan, the 2014 LPGA Rookie of the Year.
Meadow will take to the course with Malaysia's Michelle Koh and Ladies European Tour player Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark.
All the game's top ranked golfers will be competing in Rio this week with world No 1 Lydia Ko, No 2 Ariya Jutanugarn and number 3 Brooke Henderson are hoping to secured medals.
Maguire (21) and Meadow (24) have achieved huge success in their careers to date, having played for Ireland at every level before going on to play for Great Britain and Ireland in the Vagliano Trophy and the Curtis Cup teams.
LPGA Tour based Meadow was third on her professional debut in the US Women's Open two years ago and will be keen to show she's still a class act having gone through a difficult period off the course following the loss of her father and mentor, Robert Meadow, to cancer.
Leona has also shone amongst the professionals and with sister Lisa on the bag, she sees no reason why she can't do well.
Tee Times R1 – 17th August (Irish local time)
11:30 Miriam Nagl, Leona Maguire, Kelly Tan
12:52 Stephanie Meadow, Michelle Koh, Nanna Koerstz Madsen
Tee Times R2 – 18th August (Irish local time)
13:25 Miriam Nagl, Leona Maguire, Kelly Tan
14:47 Stephanie Meadow, Michelle Koh, Nanna Koerstz Madsen
Leona and Lisa Maguire
Q. When did you arrive?
LEONA MAGUIRE: We arrived Friday morning, so we pretty much came, had a bit of breakfast. Got to see the massive dining haul ask then came here. Got to see the guys play, walked around. Then we've been to a bunch of events. We went to hockey. We went and saw Michael Phelps.
So it's just been really fun. It's an amazing thing to be a part of and sort of just try to soak up the entire like Olympic atmosphere.
Q. And how excited are you to now actually play, get started, and become an Olympian by competing here?
LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, really excited. I think we've been waiting for awhile, and since I knew I was going to be playing. As a kid, I've been watching the Olympics every four years, so to actually be a part of it is incredible. It's nice getting to play early think on Wednesday, so it will be great to get out there and be an Olympian.
Q. What's your goal now?
LEONA MAGUIRE: I mean, anything can happen this week. It's a small field, so I'm just going to take it as it comes. I'm not going to put too much pressure on myself. Obviously the best players in the world are here this week. But it's a good golf course and just try and make as many birdies as I can and see what happens.
Q. What would it mean to you to basically win a medal or even a Gold Medal here?
LEONA MAGUIRE: Oh, it would be huge. I mean, this is probably the biggest event I've ever played in. To represent Ireland at any event is a huge honour but to represent your country at the Olympics is as big as it gets. Ireland doesn't typically win that many medals, so any sort of medal would be a dream come true.
Q. Why are you still amateur? Are you thinking of turning pro?
LEONA MAGUIRE: I'm still at college. I have two years left of college but I'm going out to QSchool is October.
Q. When you qualified, was it immediately the thought that, obviously Lisa will caddie for you?
LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, it was sort of decided between Lisa and dad. They both caddied for me before in the past. Lisa caddied for me a few weeks ago at the British Open.
Yeah, it's special to have her with me this week, because with it being so far away from home, it's nice she gets to be a part of it. We get along pretty well and she's a good caddie.
Q. Obviously you've been playing together as juniors your whole life, so what is the connection between you? You're twins; do you think alike?
LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, she probably knows me the best of anybody. We played golf all the way up together and we spent a lot of time together. She kind of knows what to say and what not to say at the right time, which is what you need in playing events like this.
Q. Are you similar personalities, do you think?
LEONA MAGUIRE: In ways, we are. In ways we are and in ways we are very different.
Q. So how are you similar and how are you different?
LEONA MAGUIRE: I'm probably a little bit more patient maybe in stuff. She likes to get going and get out there. But no, she's great to have on the bag and she knows my tendencies and she knows, like I said, what to say and what not to say.
Q. So there's no like telepathy between you?
LEONA MAGUIRE: Sometimes. Sometimes we do think of the same thing and we go, okay, but I don't know if that's just because we spend so much time together or we can actually do that.
Q. So you don't know what each other is thinking?
LEONA MAGUIRE: Not exactly, no. Maybe that might be a good thing.
Q. But you always agree on what club selection, do you?
LEONA MAGUIRE: For the most part, she knows my clubs just as well as I do. We both hit it a similar yardage anyway. I suppose probably a lot she imagines what she would hit and then she tells me that or she will know when to give her opinion and just to let me do it.
Q. Do you know of any other twins in school?
LEONA MAGUIRE: In golf? There was the Leadbetter ones, they were from like Asia somewhere. In sport in general, I don't think there's that many swims.
Q. So what's the best thing about having a twin sister caddie for you?
LEONA MAGUIRE: She's nearly good enough to be here this week. So I don't think there's that many people that can say that that has that good of a player on their bag. It's definitely an advantage to have someone that knows what sort of shots you're trying to play and what shots are best in given situations. She's a better putter than I am, so she will be pretty good on the greens this week to help me read some putts.
Q. So for you, is it a thrill to be here as well, in a caddie situation? I bet you'd love to be playing.
LISA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I'd love to play but this is the next best thing. It's been great so far. I've really loved it. Besides that both of us are here together, it's been a good experience to share.
Q. What's your handicap at the moment?
LISA MAGUIRE: Plus three.
Q. And what's Leona's?
LISA MAGUIRE: Plus five.
Q. Is there still some sort of competition between you?
LISA MAGUIRE: Yeah, definitely. Even when we're at home or college, we practice together all the time, so it's nice to have that competitive vibe. It's really helped.
Q. Have you caddie for anyone better than your twin sister?
LISA MAGUIRE: I don't think so. I don't know. I'll have to take some bets this week. If they pay me more than Leona does, maybe we can talk.
Q. But you're having a great time anyway?
LISA MAGUIRE: It's been really good so far.
from News - Irish Golf Desk http://ift.tt/2bildEs
No comments:
Post a Comment