Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions

Friday, January 31, 2025

Orlando, Florida, USA

Lake Nona Golf & Country Club

Leona Maguire

Quick Quotes


Q. Okay, here with Leona Maguire after her second round here at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. I know this is a home course for you so you're very comfortable. Tell us about your good round today.

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, felt like I played some really great golf yesterday. Just tried to bring that into today. Front nine was playing a little bit longer and cooler this morning, so just tried to keep it steady on the front side.

Yeah, hit two close on 12; 13 was a bit of an oops. Yeah, nice to finish off with five birdies in a row. Standing on the 14th tee I just wanted to give myself five chances to finish and that's what I did. Nice momentum heading into the weekend.

Q. How often do you play here? How much of an advantage does that give you this week?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I mean, I think it's -- yes it's an advantage. You know all the spots where to hit it and also know all the spots where not to hit it. On 8 I hit it left of the green. I don't think I've ever hit it there since I've been here four and a half years.

Yeah, there is a good group of girls here. Play with Lindy and Anna and Lydia quite a bit here. The conditions have changed quite a bit in the last few weeks. Starting to firm up a little bit, drying out, which is nice.

Yeah, it's nice. I had a putt on 17. I was telling Taylor earlier today, I had that putt on 17 that looks like it breaks. I've missed it enough times to know it doesn't break so pretty confident it was a straight putt. It's nice having those extra bits of course knowledge.

Q. What's your personal low out here?

LEONA MAGUIRE: The guys were asking me that today. I don't know. Probably 64, 65. This golf course changes so much depending on where the tees are, the pins, the wind. Even today it just switched from east-southeast to south and played completely different.

That's the nice thing I like about here. They change the pins every day and it's always a different challenge, which is quite good for testing different parts of your game.

Q. What about string of birdies? Is this the biggest...

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, that's probably -- I mean, if we take 13 out of it it was a pretty nice back nine. Little blip there. The par-3s are strong here so it's -- you kind of want to keep it tidy on the par-3s and take advantage of par-5s.

Q. Did you get a chance to play with the male golfers out here, the pro golfers?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, a little bit. I mean, our schedules don't overlap. It's nice to play with them a little bit more. Play with Terrell a bit when he's here, and Ian Poulter has been out quite a bit practicing on the range. The guys get some money games going here, so it depends.

When I play with Lydia we play for push-ups; when you play with the guys you play for money. It's a little bit different stakes.

Q. How many pushups?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Usually ten 6or fifteen per birdie. Depending. We could be getting pretty swole as the year goes on.

Q. Do you do it right there on the hole?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah. Drop and do them on the side of the green.

Q. The course can also change based on a tournament setup as opposed to a regular setup. How much different are the two here?

LEONA MAGUIRE: This course is in fantastic shape all year round. Really lucky here and really spoiled. It's always in tournament-ready conditions. Ideally we like it a little bit firmer and faster out here. Mother Nature hasn't been that kind the last few weeks in Florida.

I think that's the nice thing about being a member here. You've always got great grass and surfaces to practice on. Taylor and his team do a great job all year round.

Q. Do you see pin positions this week that you don't see the other weeks out of the year?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, they've definitely been saving them the past few weeks. There was a few pins we saw the last few weeks that we don't normally see tucked away. Yeah, just a few that they try and trick it up a little bit for this week.

Not quite as tricky a the Gainbridge in '21. They were a little bit kinder to the celebrities.

Q. I was going to say, does it have to do with celebs.

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, like I said, it's one thing knowing where to hit it. It's another thing actually doing it. Sometimes you almost know too much. Just getting that balance.

Q. Can you talk about some of the celebrities you've had a chance to play with or meet?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, I have had two great groups actually. Played with James Stewart and Michael Waltrip yesterday, two big racing guys, which I don't know much about. I was telling Mike we did do a hot lap in Daytona when the Symetra Tour Championship was there. That's kind of my only major experience with NASCAR.

Then, yeah, Taylor and Jeff were great today. Obviously hit it a long way. They were playing a very different golf course to me, but it's impressive to see those guys. They're just so nice and down to earth as well.

You never know who you're going to meet on a week like this. It's fun to sort of share stories and things from other sports.

Q. As a Duke University Blue Devil, do you have any on the current state of the program? Had a lot of success in basketball and now football. Can you comment on their success?

LEONA MAGUIRE: On football and basketball?

Q. Any of the Duke sports. They've obviously made a lot of investments into the sports programs.

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, obviously Duke basketball is iconic. I know there is big hopes for Cooper Flagg this year. I haven't been able to get to a game recently. Fingers crossed maybe soon. Duke women's team is playing this weekend, so we're actually going to dinner tonight, me and Celine and few of the alums in the area. Be nice to catch up with them.

Won't be able to get out and cheer them on, but be nice to see them do well this week, too.

Q. Are they announcing you as Dr. Leona Maguire from the 1st tee now?

LEONA MAGUIRE: No, me and Lydia were having a bit of back and forth. She's Dame Lydia now, so be a bit pretentious. Neither of us have egos big enough I think to be going by doctor and dame. We'll leave that to Laura and other people for those titles.

Q. What was that like though, getting that honor?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, it's cool. It's something different. It's nice to be recognized for my contribution I suppose to sport in Ireland. It's funny for me because my sister is going to be a real doctor in April or May, so I just snuck in right in front of her. It was more bragging rights. It was cool to get dressed up in the whole cap and gown. Had to give a little speech.

Yeah, it's something I never thought I would be getting. It's a cool honor.

Q. So she'll graduate from dental school. What is the school?

LEONA MAGUIRE: She's in University Cork, yeah, UCC.

Q. Will she stay in Ireland to practice?

LEONA MAGUIRE: Yeah, probably. She hasn't quite decided yet, but probably.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports
152434-1-1041 2025-01-31 20:49:00 GMT

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