2024 Solheim Cup: Leona Maguire makes her point

Leona Maguire has been a dominant force for Team Europe in the Solheim Cup, consistently delivering exceptional performances. Her contribution in the previous editions helped her team secure pivotal points, earning her the reputation of a key player on the squad. However, during this week’s Solheim Cup, under the captaincy of Suzann Pettersen, Maguire found herself in a surprising situation, only playing in two sessions. This decision raised eyebrows and left many wondering and questioning why the star player was sidelined, especially given her success in the tournament's past editions.

Suzann Pettersen’s explanation

Pettersen was asked multiple times during the week about her decision to sit Maguire out of three of the five sessions. When asked what factored into the decision, she noted that Maguire’s past record and value to the team were unquestionable, but current form played a significant role.

"Nobody can take away Leona's record, the value that she carries into the European team, playing or not playing. Just her presence on our team is very valuable," Pettersen said. She went on to explain that while Maguire's past performance was stellar, her recent form was not up to expectations. “Unfortunately, up until now, Leona hasn't kind of been, I don't know, the rock that I kind of was hoping for.”

Pettersen, however, did not downplay Maguire's importance. She praised her for handling the situation professionally and being a supportive teammate despite not playing. “She’s fine with it. She’s a team player. She cares about the team,” said the Captain, acknowledging that it was a “tough task” for Maguire to be on the sidelines, but noted her maturity and character in taking the decision gracefully.

Pettersen’s decision, while tactical, seemed to reflect her desire to play the team members who she felt had the best chance of securing points at that stage of the competition. As she put it, "We're playing the best players in the world. We have to try and gear up and kind of put our full force out."

Leona Maguire’s response - making her point

For Maguire, the decision to sit out was a "bitter pill to swallow." Speaking after her singles match against Ally Ewing on Sunday which she won 4&3, Maguire reflected on the disappointment but remained poised and focused. "I felt like I had a point to prove today," she said, clearly channelling the emotions of being benched into a positive drive.

When asked about Pettersen's reasoning, Maguire shared that there wasn’t much direct explanation provided, but she had an understanding of the Captain's perspective. “The feeling I got was that I was a little bit too short and didn’t make enough birdies,” she said, but added with confidence, “I think I've shown today there's more than one way to skin a cat, and I made plenty of birdies today.”

Maguire’s grit was evident in her performance. She admitted that being left out gave her “extra fuel” heading into her singles match. "Yeah, there probably was a little bit extra there, not going to lie, but ultimately, it's what's best for the team this week. And I would have loved the opportunity to try and deliver more points for the team, but I did what I could today."

As Pettersen said, Maguire doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. Her record speaks for itself. But there will still be questions around why Pettersen did what she did and ultimately the impact this may have had on Team Europe and their chances of winning this week.