She added: “The Irish people are so good to me. Obviously, they know that I’m half-Irish, and it generally feels like a home win. I can’t describe how special it feels.”
As for Maguire, she’s upbeat about next week’s Solheim Cup and the future of Irish women’s golf after closing with her best round of the week on the O’Meara Course.
After making birdie at four of her last six holes in a five-under 68 to finish joint 15th on 10-under, she hopes to help Europe lift the Solheim Cup for the fourth time in a row next week.
“I felt like it was very fine margins this week,” she said. “It was 10-under, but it could have been 25-under very easily. But nice to finish on some momentum.
“I felt like my game’s been in pretty good shape all week, and it’s got a little bit better every day. It’s nice coming off a very draining four-week stretch feeling like my game is better now than when I started those four weeks.
“Just a little bit of polishing up this week, a lot of rest, a lot of recovery and looking forward to heading over to DC the week after next.”
A return to Carton House, which attracted 36,000 fans over the five days, looks likely next year. However, a date change to late June or early July is also likely to avoid a clash with September’s men’s Irish Open at The K Club.
“I think you see the progress it has made in the last few years,” Maguire said of the event and her hopes of getting a world-class field in the future. “It is getting bigger and bigger every year.”
Edmondstown amateur Anna Abom (18) shot 79 to finish 65th on eight-over and claim the low amateur trophy.
But Maguire also had words of encouragement for Solheim Cup star Byrne, who turns professional at this week’s Rose Ladies Open on the LET Access Tour after going unbeaten in GB&I’s thrilling 10½-9½ Curtis Cup win over the USA at Sunningdale.