Cavan twins Lisa and Leona Maguire will become the youngest players to represent Great Britain and Ireland at the Curtis Cup after being named alongside Royal County Down’s Danielle McVeigh in the eight-strong team to take on the United States at the biennial matches in Massachusetts in June.
The 15-year-olds, who today won their third Irish Schools Cup in a row for Loreto College, Cavan, already set an age record when competing in last summer’s Vagliano Trophy match at the age of 14.
The youngest ever player to compete in the Curtis Cup was Michelle Wie, who was 14 when she was a member of the United States team at Formby in 2004.
Leona retained the French Under-21 Girls’ Open title earlier this month, while Lisa won both the Irish Open Amateur Stroke Play and the Irish Ladies’ (Close) Amateur Championship last year and had won the Helen Holm Scottish Ladies’ Open Amateur Stroke Play title in 2008. Leona beat Lisa in the final of the Irish Ladies’ (Close) Amateur Championship in 2008.
The students helped Ireland win the European Girls’ team title last year and both played for Europe in the Junior Solheim Cup match in America. They were also members of the European team for the Junior Ryder Cup of 2008.
McVeigh showed how good her form was on Sunday, when she took victory in the ‘Helen Holm’ at Troon.
She also won the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play title at Royal Aberdeen last autumn when she again came with a strong late run. She also won the Welsh Open Amateur Stroke Play title in 2009.
Danielle is a member of the Paddy Harrington Golf Scholarship programme at the NUI Maynooth where she is a second year student, studying Business and Management. She played for two years on the US college circuit as a student at Texas A&M. McVeigh won the World Student Women’s title in Thailand in 2007.
Only Sally Watson, now a student at Stanford University in California, survives from the GB&I team who lost 13-7 at the Old Course in St Andrews in 2008.
Stephanie Meadow of Royal Portrush has been named as one of the four reserves on the team, which will be captained by Mary McKenna.
McKenna played in nine Curtis Cup matches between 1970 and 1986 and, in terms of winning individual and foursomes ties, is the most successful GB&I player in Curtis Cup history.
“I am delighted with the team and it is a very good mix of experience and youth. They have all played overseas on in America at some time, so that’s a big plus factor as well. I am looking forward to it,” said McKenna today.
This year’s matches, the 36th staging of the event, take place at Essex County Club in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts from June 11th to 13th.
Curtis Cup team:Hanah Barwood (Knowle GC, England, Age 19), Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa GC, England, 19), Rachel Jennings (Izaak Walton GC, England, 21), Leona Maguire(Slieve Russell GC, 15), Lisa Maguire(Slieve Russell GC, 15), Pamel Pretswell (Bothwell Castle GC, Scotland, 20), Danielle McVeigh(Royal Co Down, 22), Sally Watson (Elie & Earlsferry, Scotland, 18).
Reserves:Lesley MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar GC, Scotland, 19), Stephanie Meadow(Royal Portrush GC, 18), Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall GC, England, 21), Amy Boulden, Maesdu, Wales, 16).
Captain:Mary McKenna(Ireland). Manager:Tegwen Matthews (Wales).