Although this will be her third Olympic Games, Leona Maguire feels she hasn’t quite tasted the full experience and is relishing the prospect of some large crowds in Paris next month.
Maguire competed in the Rio (2016) and Tokyo (2021) games for Ireland but as Brazil isn’t a golfing stronghold and the Tokyo games were played behind closed doors because of COVID-19, the Cavan native is eager to sample a proper Olympic atmosphere whether it be while watching the other athletes or playing the golf tournament at Le Golf National.
“Yeah, grew up watching the Olympics. This is a European Olympics, so it will have a very different feel,” said Maguire.
“Even just looking at the Olympic Rings going up on the Eiffel Tower, it seems it’s going to be a really big production this time. Won’t be there for the opening ceremony to go down in the boats on the Seine and stuff like that, but it’s still going to be a really cool experience.
“Yeah, really nice. I think with Rio it was a little bit scaled back; Tokyo was different with COVID. So nice that there will be — I’m sure there will be crowds and a lot of European support and a bit closer to home as well.
“Watching sort of social media some of the Irish athletes qualify and see how much it means to them, and I think it’s a special week. It’s a special event. It’s always, like I said, nice to be a part of a team and part of something bigger than yourself.”
Maguire is preparing for the third major championship of the season, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship next week and it forms part of a hectic summer that will include five majors, the Olympics and the Solheim Cup with the latter two events earmarked as chances for potential success.
“I think all tournaments between now and August are going to be preparation for the Olympics. It’s obviously going to be a very tough golf course at Golf National. Any time you have a good test like this off the tee and next week in a major, they’re all great preparation for what we need later on this summer.
“Obviously watched the Ryder Cup there in 2018, so nice to go to an iconic venue like that and be a part of a piece of history and be a part of a team as well.
“So I think it’ll be a tough golf course, a tough test, but that’s exactly what you want for an Olympic Games.
“We’ve got I guess two team events to look forward to this year in the Solheim and Olympics, so that’s something I look forward to.”
Someone who she could be rubbing shoulders with this summer is world number one Nelly Korda having enjoyed some great battles with her down the stretch at the Meijer Classic, the matchplay event and the Solheim Cup with Maguire edging the head to head in the team contest.
“Then we’ve also got to play against each other in Solheim Cups and other events. So she’s a very fiery competitor, such a good competitor. It’s always nice to play with someone like that,” said Korda.