DURHAM, N.C. – Duke Blue Devils junior Leona Maguire moved back into the No. 1 spot in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking posted as of Monday.
Maguire climbed two spots back into the position she occupied for almost a year.
Hailing from Cavan, Ireland, the 2014-15 National Player of the Year and two-time First Team All-America, currently sits with 1584.3193 points and is ahead of Bronte Law (1576.2674) and previous No. 1 Hannah O’Sullivan (1564.4460).
During the summer season, Maguire has helped Great Britain & Ireland (GB&I) to a Curtis Cup victory; claimed the Smyth Salver (the low amateur medal) and a T25 finish at the RICOH Women’s British Open; advanced to the quarterfinals of match play at the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship; and competed in the U.S. Women’s Open.
Joining Maguire on the Top 25 list are fellow Duke teammates reigning NCAA champion and U.S. Women’s Amateur finalist Virginia Elena Carta, and Celine Boutier; both ranked 19th and 24th, respectively.
Maguire will begin play at the Rio Olympics beginning Aug. 17 as part of the 72-hole stroke play event that will feature a 60-player field vying to win the first medals in women’s Olympic golf since 1900.
Though last held at the 1904 Olympics hosted in St. Louis, Mo., the golf competition that year featured only male competitors.
Notes: Announced on Tuesday, Duke was selected to compete in the 2016 East Lake Cup which will feature all four teams from the 2016 NCAA Championship semifinal field, a group that also includes Washington, Stanford and UCLA. Last year, Duke advanced to the event’s championship match before falling to Southern California. Four men’s teams – Oregon, Illinois, Texas and Vanderbilt — will also compete in the three-day, stoke and match play tournament that will be aired on the Golf Channel Oct. 31-Nov. 2 from East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Ga.