Solheim Cup: Leona Maguire makes thinly veiled dig at Suzann Pettersen

Leona Maguire admitted Suzann Pettersen’s controversial snub at the Solheim Cup was a “bitter pill to swallow” and revealed she wasn’t given a proper reason for sitting out three sessions.

The Irishwoman – who compiled a formidable 7-2-1 record playing all five sessions in her first two Solheim Cups – was left on the bench by losing captain Pettersen for the whole of Saturday at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

Maguire responded with a dominant 4&3 victory over Ally Ewing in Sunday singles – only her second match in the contest – but Europe were ultimately defeated 15.5 – 12.5 despite a stirring late comeback.

• Solheim Cup 2024 final results

• Tour pro slams wild Solheim Cup celebration

“I felt like I played great golf today,” said Maguire. “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, and I love the Solheim Cup.”

Maguire was then asked if she had been told by Pettersen why she had not played since a 6&4 defeat with Georgia Hall against an inspired Nelly Korda and Meghan Khang in Friday’s fourballs.

Form is temporary, class is permanent
💪🏼🇪🇺 🦁 https://t.co/xRAYLx15mW

— Leona Maguire (@leona_maguire) September 15, 2024

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

“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.”

• LPGA apologises to furious fans after Solheim Cup ‘disaster’

• Why Laura Davies has never been Solheim Cup captain

Before Stacy Lewis’ US side had even lifted the cup on Sunday evening, Maguire posted the result of her singles match on social media with the caption “Form is temporary, class is permanent.”

In her post-round interview, the 29-year-old added: “I don’t need any extra motivation to go out and try to win my point, but yeah, there probably was a little bit extra there, not going to lie.

“But ultimately it’s what’s best for the team this week, and I would have loved the opportunity to try and deliver more points for the team, but I did what I could today.”

Pettersen, however, insisted in Sunday’s press conference she had no regrets about leaving Maguire out for three sessions.

“You rather play with your gut feel and your heart and sometimes you get outplayed,” she said. “It’s always going to be hard to do the pairings. Sometimes you get it right. Sometimes you get outplayed. Maybe you could have played other players, maybe you could have faced different opponents.. you can always look back but I don’t think we as a team have any regrets of what we did.

Pettersen added: “Its extremely difficult to seat any players on this team,” she said. “The way it turned out, that’s how it turned out.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.