Undefeated Leona Maguire advances to LPGA Match Play semifinals

Leona Maguire won two more matches Saturday at Shadow Creek to advance to the semifinals in the Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play.
The seventh-seeded Maguire, from Ireland, held off American Lindsey Weaver-Wright 3 and 2 to improve to 5-0. Maguire will face Ayaka Furue of Japan, a 2-and-1 winner over third-seeded Celine Boutier of France.
In the other semifinal Sunday morning, Linn Grant of Sweden will face Pajaree Anannarukarn of Thailand. Grant beat Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland 3 and 1, and Anannarukarn edged Carlota Ciganda of Spain 3 and 2.
Maguire won the 2022 LPGA Drive On Championship in Florida for her lone LPGA Tour title. She beat Perrine Delacour 5 and 3 in the round of 16.
"Really happy to get through 36 holes today," Maguire said. "It's nice to be in the semifinal. Played some really solid golf today. A little scrappy maybe this afternoon, but knew it was going to be a battle out there and it was just a case of staying patient. Yeah, did enough to make it to tomorrow."
Furue, seeded sixth, won the 2022 Trust Golf Women's Scottish Open for her lone LPGA Tour title.
"Just happy to win today," Furue said. "It was really difficult and tough match today, two rounds."
The eighth-seeded Grant is winless on the LPGA Tour. The Swede starred at Arizona State.
"It's stressful to play match play," Grant said. "You get so happy when you get that win, and right now I'm just really very happy and excited for tomorrow."
Anannarukarn, seeded 36th, won the 2021 ISPS Handa World Invitational in Northern Ireland for her only LPGA Tour title.
"Just try to stay in the present moment," Anannarukarn said. "That's what I've been doing well and I'm glad that I was able to focus on that."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BREAKING Murder charge laid in killing of B.C. Mountie
The day after an RCMP officer was killed and two others were injured while executing a search warrant in Coquitlam, B.C., charges of murder and attempted murder have been laid.
Sikh groups ask Canadian political parties to present 'united front' against India
Two groups in the Canadian Sikh diaspora are calling for Canada's political parties to "present a united front" on India after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a "potential link" between the shooting death of a local leader and the Indian government.
A Black student was suspended for his hairstyle. Now his family is suing Texas officials
The family of a Black high school student in Texas who was suspended over his dreadlocks filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Saturday against the state's governor and attorney general, alleging they failed to enforce a new law outlawing discrimination based on hairstyles.
Moneris says systems back online after users across Canada report outages affecting debit, credit payments
The payment processing company Moneris says it has resolved an outage that appeared to affect debit and credit transactions across the country.
Manitoba could make history by electing first First Nations premier to lead province
A First Nations premier would head a province for the first time in Canadian history if the New Democrats win the Oct. 3 Manitoba election, and the significance is not lost on party leader Wab Kinew.
Canada's international student program faced with 'integrity challenges,' senators say in push for reform
A group of Canadian senators is proposing a series of reforms to the country's international student program that include ways of protecting newcomers from fraud and abuse, as well as greater regulations and penalties for recruiters and educational institutions.
B.C. Mountie's death reverberates across law enforcement community
The death of a Metro Vancouver RCMP officer who was shot dead while executing a search warrant is reverberating with law enforcement officials across the country.
Smoke prevents Yellowknife from holding welcome home celebration
Smoke has forced Yellowknife to cancel a celebration marking the return of residents to the city after a wildfires-prompted evacuation that lasted for weeks.
Ford offers Unifor wage increases up to 25 per cent
Ford Motor has offered Canadian union Unifor wage increases of up to 25 per cent in its tentative agreement, the union said on Saturday. The agreement provides a 10 per cent wage increase for the first year followed by increases of two per cent and three per cent through the second and third year and a $10,000 productivity and quality bonus to all employees on the active roll of the company, Unifor said.