This week's US Open was an event circled on the calendar of many a player on the LPGA Tour. That's not just because it's a Major, but also due to the prize money on offer. The purse is a historic $10 million.
"$10 million for a ladies' event would have been unheard of a few years ago," Leona Maguire told the Irish Golfer podcast this week.
"Everybody is excited. Ultimately, it's going to be a life-changing event whoever wins this week, and even for the people who are in the top five.
"Everybody is here to win the trophy, but the money on offer is life-changing. They've set the benchmark for the rest of the tournaments on the schedule. There's some good things happening in the ladies game, and it's nice where I'm at a stage of my career where I'm a part of it."
Maguire heads to Pine Needles in North Carolina - familiar territory given she attended Duke University for four years - in search of her first Major. The 27-year-old is 80/1 for the victory with Ladbrokes.
"Despite being an outsider in the outright market, we have seen a good show of patriotic support for Leona Maguire in recent days," said Ladbrokes spokesperon Nicola McGeady.
"While she certainly faces an uphill battle in North Carolina this weekend, punters are really rallying behind the Cavan native to bring her A-game to the US Open Championship."
Maguire, who has missed the cut at the last three US Opens, is happy to be going in under the radar.
"Golf is a funny game, it doesn't really take much for it to go one way or the other," she said.
"I've tidied up a few things with Shane. It's a US Open, it's going to take your best golf to do well around here.
"I'm trying not to put too much pressure or expectations on myself. We'll see how it is this week, and keep trying to improve little by little every week.
"There's no pressure on me this week. All eyes are on Nelly Korda's return, and Jin Young Ko, and all the big American stars, and Annika Sorenstam is back this week. So I'm happy to go quietly about my business, do what I have to do. All I can do is play my own game, and let them take centre stage for the most part.
"It's probably not your traditional US Open test in that there isn't the really long rough, and it's not a beast of a golf course. You have to think and plot your way around. On the greens and around the greens is where I think it will be won and lost this week. It will come down to who executes those shots as best as possible, and who holes enough putts."
Picture credit: Sportsfile
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