‘Bitter’ Leona Maguire proves point by earning singles point

Leona Maguire didn’t need extra motivation, but she got it anyway.

The spark came from her European captain.

Suzann Pettersen had expressed disappointment in Maguire, the Irish star who hadn’t missed a match in two straight Solheim Cups, saying on Saturday that Maguire hadn’t been “the rock that I kind of was hoping for” and choosing to sit Maguire for three of four team sessions in favor of players in better form.

A fired-up Maguire responded Sunday by delivering her first point of the competition courtesy of a convincing 4-and-3 singles win over Ally Ewing. Though Maguire’s win was quickly rendered meaningless by Lilia Vu’s clinching half-point for the victorious American side, Maguire was proud to have rocked out.

“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.”

Maguire said that Pettersen “didn’t give much reason” as to why she rode the bench most of the week, though she had some theories.

“The feeling I got was that I was a little bit too short and didn’t make enough birdies,” Maguire said, “but I think proved today there’s more than one way to skin a cat, and I think I made plenty of birdies today.”

Five to be exact. Maguire then paused and finished her thought: “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.”

Pettersen was asked again about her decision to sit Maguire during the runners-up presser on Sunday evening. The Swedish leader said she didn’t have any regrets and had been confident Maguire could earn an important point at the back end of the tee sheet.

“It’s extremely difficult to sit any players on this team,” Pettersen said. “The way it turned out, that’s how it turned out.”