Maguire and Meadow Carry Irish Hopes into KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine
Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow are representing Ireland at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota, competing in the third women's major of the year for a $12 million purse — with Maguire, one of the most consistent performers on the LPGA Tour in recent seasons, entering the tournament as a genuine contender for the title that would cement her status as one of the game's elite players.
Background
The KPMG Women's PGA Championship is one of the five major championships in women's professional golf and one of the most prestigious events on the LPGA Tour calendar. Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, is a storied venue with a long history of hosting major championships in both the men's and women's games, and the course's demanding layout — featuring long par fours, challenging greens, and the potential for significant weather disruption — rewards the complete golfer.
Leona Maguire from Ballyconnell, County Cavan, has established herself as one of the leading players on the LPGA Tour since turning professional in 2018. Her breakthrough came at the 2021 Solheim Cup, where her record-breaking performance for Europe — winning all five of her matches — announced her as a player of genuine world-class quality. Since then, she has added multiple LPGA Tour victories and has consistently ranked among the world's top twenty players.
Stephanie Meadow from Jordanstown, County Antrim, has had a different but equally compelling career trajectory. After a celebrated amateur career that included representing Ireland at the highest level, Meadow turned professional and has built a solid career on the LPGA Tour, combining consistent performances with a reputation as one of the most technically accomplished ball-strikers in the women's game.
Key Developments
Both Maguire and Meadow teed up at Hazeltine for the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in the week of 24 June 2026. The tournament, which carries a $12 million purse — one of the largest in women's golf — attracted a field of the world's leading players, with Maguire among the pre-tournament favourites given her recent form and her record on demanding championship courses.
Maguire's preparation for the major has been characterised by the meticulous attention to detail that has become her hallmark. She has spent time at Hazeltine in the weeks before the tournament, familiarising herself with the course's specific challenges and working with her coaching team on the aspects of her game that will be most tested by the layout. Her iron play and putting — consistently among the best on the LPGA Tour — will be key factors in her performance.
Meadow's presence in the field is a reminder of the depth of Irish women's golf. While Maguire has attracted the majority of the attention, Meadow's consistent performances on the LPGA Tour have made her a respected figure in the women's game, and her experience of competing in major championships will serve her well at Hazeltine.
Why It Matters
The presence of two Irish players in the field for a women's major championship is a reflection of the remarkable progress that Irish women's golf has made over the past decade. A generation ago, Irish women's golf was largely invisible at the international level; today, Ireland has two players who are genuine contenders at the sport's biggest events.
Maguire's potential victory at a major championship would be a landmark moment for Irish sport. She would become only the second Irish woman to win a major championship in golf, and the first to do so in the modern era of the LPGA Tour. The significance of such an achievement, both for Irish golf and for Irish women's sport more broadly, would be enormous.
The KPMG Women's PGA Championship also provides an important platform for the promotion of women's golf in Ireland. The tournament is broadcast internationally, and the presence of Irish players in the field generates media coverage that helps to raise the profile of the women's game at home. This visibility is important for inspiring the next generation of young Irish women to take up golf and to aspire to compete at the highest level.
Local Impact
In Ballyconnell and across County Cavan, Maguire's performances are followed with enormous pride. The local community has been a consistent source of support throughout her career, and the prospect of a major championship victory would be celebrated across the county and beyond. In Jordanstown and across County Antrim, Meadow's presence at Hazeltine is similarly a source of local pride.
Golf Ireland, the governing body for the sport on the island of Ireland, has highlighted the performances of Maguire and Meadow as evidence of the success of its women's development programmes. The organisation has invested significantly in women's golf at all levels in recent years, and the results are visible in the quality of players now competing at the highest level of the international game.
What's Next
The KPMG Women's PGA Championship concludes on Sunday, 28 June 2026, with the final round expected to provide a compelling conclusion to what promises to be a high-quality major championship. Maguire and Meadow will be hoping to be in contention as the tournament reaches its climax. The next major on the women's calendar is the AIG Women's Open, which will be played at a links course in the British Isles in August — a tournament that both Irish players will regard as a particularly important opportunity given their affinity for links conditions.
