Leona Maguire became the first Irish golfer to win at the Ladies European Tour with a one-shot victory at the Aramco Team Series in Hemel Hempstead, thanks to an eagle on the 18th hole.
The Cavan golfer had been in front throughout the tournament and held a slender two-shot lead entering the final day’s play at the Centurion Club.
She endured a difficult final round and needed a birdie on the last to force a playoff, but made an incredible approach shot on the par-five closing hole before making the putt for an eagle.
Maguire trailed Maria Hernandez of Spain, who posted a seven-under par score by a shot going down the last, but Maguire finished remarkably on the fairway before sinking her putt.
She was the overnight leader after rounds one and two of the 54-hole tournament and birdied both her first and second holes on Friday to reach 10 under.
A double bogey on the seventh, however, was part of a run that saw her drop four shots in five holes.
Two-over-par for her round after a bogey on the 16th, she fell behind Hernandez who shot a bogey-free 68 to set the clubhouse lead at seven under.
But, set up by that fantastic second shot on the 18th, Maguire holed an eight-footer to get back to eight under and snatch the win.
It’s the 29-year-olds fifth triumph as a professional having previously won twice on the LPGA Tour and the Symetra Tour.