Maguire hopes to emulate McIlroy with Congressional win

Leona Maguire is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Rory McIlroy by winning her first major at the Women's PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club.

McIlroy secured the first of his four majors at the 2011 US Open at Congressional, streaking clear to win by eight shots.

Maguire, 27, heads to the same course in decent form, having finished in a share of eighth at the US Women's Open earlier this month and also lost out in a play-off at last week's Meijer LPGA Classic.

"I was watching on TV," she says about McIlroy's 2011 win.

"I still remember him. He kind of blew the field away that week, so I don't know if anybody is going to do that this week, but, yeah, it would be nice to be coming down 18 with a few shot lead like he had, but he obviously was on a very hot streak at that point.

"Really the only part of the golf course I remember was 18. I know it's obviously been redesigned, but yeah, that was a pretty cool week for him. Hopefully I can do something similar."

Maguire is set to tee off with Ryann O'Toole and Nanna Koerstz Madsen on Thursday.

"I've been playing nice the last few weeks," she said.

"Obviously not the finish I would have liked on Sunday, but if you had offered me a 65 at the start of the day, I would have gladly taken it; putted really nice on Sunday and had my irons dialed in. More of the same really this week. A bit of a different test, though."

Asked what it will take for her to win the tournament, she added: "I think just putting myself in contention as much as I can.

"I mean, the field is pretty much the same as it was last week, apart from Jin Young is here. There was nine of the top 10 players in the world last week.

Video: Rory McIlroy 'frustrated' with final hole bogey at US Open (The