'A Bitter Pill To Swallow' - Leona Maguire Has Say After Sitting Out Three Sessions At Solheim Cup

Leona Maguire had never missed a Solheim Cup session in her two previous starts but surprisingly played just two matches in 2024.

The Irishwoman has been a star for Europe in 2021 and 2023 but was dropped for the opening foursomes session and then sat out all of day two after losing with Georgia Hall in the Friday afternoon four balls.

The lack of Maguire on the team sheet on Saturday in particular raised eyebrows, and the 29-year-old cleared up that it wasn't due to injury or a lack of form - as we saw on Sunday where she was excellent in defeating Ally Ewing 4&3.

Maguire admitted it was a "bitter pill to swallow" and said that captain Suzann Pettersen "didn't give much reason" to the decision - although she has an idea why.

"Yeah, I felt like I played great golf today," Maguire said.

"I feel like I've been playing really great golf all week in practice, and it was a bitter pill to swallow to be sat out for as many sessions as I was, but I thought I got a point to prove today, and I love the Solheim Cup, I love match play, and I really wanted to deliver a point for the team today, and nice to do that.

"She didn't give much reason, to be honest. The feeling I got was that I was a little bit too short and didn't make enough birdies, but I think proved today there's more than one way to skin a cat, and I think I made plenty of birdies today.

"Captain's decision. I'm a team player, and all I could do today was come out and win my point, and that's what I did. "

Maguire said that she probably did have more motivation to go and get the win to prove to Pettersen that she can still deliver points and did just that with five birdies in 15 holes.

"Yeah, it's Solheim Cup. I don't need any extra motivation to go out and try to win my point, but 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."

Suzann Pettersen was asked about the decision to sit Maguire in both sessions Saturday in her post-Solheim press conference.

"It's extremely difficult to sit any players on this team. The way it turned out, that's how it turned out," she said.

Maguire will surely be on Team Europe again in 2026 when the Solheim Cup heads to Bernardus Golf in The Netherlands.