Former Castle Hume member Leona Maguire has been selected to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games in Rio next month. 
The 21 year old is the only female member of the Ireland golfing team, and she will travel to the Games alongside Padraig Harrington and Seamus Power who will be taking part in the men’s tournament.
Leona is recognised as one of the top amateur golfers in the world and is currently number two in the world amateur rankings having been displaced from the top spot by American Hanna O’Sullivan. 
She has not been a regular on the professional tour, but excelled last year in the Ladies British Masters finishing second. She will now have another chance to chance to challenge the world’s best in Brazil, and will have the assistance of her twin sister Lisa who is set to caddy.
The Olympic Golf tournament has hit the headlines this year with many of the men’s top golfers withdrawing from the tournament citing concerns over the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne virus which has been linked to defects in new born babies and Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. Rory McIlroy, Graham McDowell and Shane Lowry all joined world number one Jason Day in deciding not to compete, but there has been more enthusiasm for the tournament from the lady golfers, with only one player having so far announced her intention not to attend.
Leona is firmly of the belief that the reward on offer is worth any risks that may exist, and was delighted to accept her place in the first Olympic golf tournament for 112 years. The competition will feature 60 golfers from forty different nations. The 72 hole ladies tournament will tee off on 17th August.