South Africa’s Casandra Alexander emerged victorious at the rain‑soaked KPMG Irish Open, delivering a commanding performance throughout a soggy week in County Kildare. After finishing as runner‑up on five occasions this season, the Ladies European Tour’s top‑ranked player finally broke her string of near‑misses with a wire‑to‑wire win, highlighted by a record‑low round of 63 on the opening day at The K Club’s Palmer South Course.
Alexander opened her round with birdies on three of her first four holes and never looked back, ultimately carding a spectacular 20‑under‑par total. She finished three strokes ahead of Czech Republic’s Sara Kouskova, while Finland’s Noora Komulainen trailed a further shot behind. The South African’s dominance was evident from the first tee, as she set the pace and never relinquished it despite the challenging conditions. Irish hopeful Leona Maguire was the top‑finishing home player, landing in fourth place, five strokes shy of Alexander’s winning total.
Her performance contributed to a historic showing for Ireland, with a record nine Irish professionals and seven amateurs entering the field – the strongest national representation the tournament has ever seen. The event was a constant battle against the elements.
Saturday’s third round was suspended for 45 minutes as heavy rain drenched the Palmer South Course, and the final round’s closing par‑five was shortened on Sunday to accommodate the weather. These disruptions added an extra layer of difficulty for the competitors, testing both skill and resilience. On the final day, Alexander’s early‑round composure wavered briefly when she dropped shots on the first two holes, providing the tournament’s first hint of vulnerability. However, she quickly regained control, posting three consecutive birdies from the fifth hole onward.
Those birdies rebuilt her cushion and ensured that any fears of a collapse were quickly dispelled. She pressed on with confidence, ultimately sealing a win that felt long overdue. "This one is really special," Alexander said after her victory.
"It’s a special event, and I feel the second win is as important as the first because it’s not a fluke!" She added, "I can’t wait to get home and celebrate with friends and family. The Order of Merit is my number‑one goal, and the best way to win it is by taking tournament victories." Maguire, who entered the final round seven strokes behind the leader, carried momentum from her own impressive 63‑shot round earlier in the week – a round that featured nine birdies and no bogeys, posted before the heaviest rain arrived on Saturday. On Sunday, she energized the home crowd with four birdies in a five‑hole stretch around the turn, climbing to 15‑under‑par. Unfortunately for the 31‑year‑old, that surge was followed by six consecutive pars and a bogey on the shortened 17th hole before she finished with a birdie on the final par‑five.
Her fourth‑place finish ties her best result at the Irish Open, a mark she previously set at Dromoland Castle in 2022. "It’s been a great week," Maguire reflected.
"The crowds have been fantastic, rain, hail or shine. I think it’s another very successful Irish Open in the books and the fans really made it this week.
Nice to get a couple of low ones over the weekend. Friday was the one that got away but overall, 15 under par is a very solid week’s effort and nice to be able to give the home fans something to cheer about." The timing of Maguire’s performance could not be better.
She was named as one of Anna Nordqvist’s captain’s picks for next month’s Solheim Cup, a selection that arrives after a season in which she missed the cut in four of the five majors and had gone two years without a win. A top‑five finish on home soil suggests her form is finally clicking at the right moment. Maguire’s Solheim Cup record stands at 8‑3‑1 over three appearances, and she was the leading scorer as an unbeaten rookie when Europe claimed victory in 2021. Her experience made her the sole veteran among Nordqvist’s four picks, which also include debutants Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez, France’s Nastasia Nadaud and England’s Mimi Rhodes.
Both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour will observe a brief hiatus before the 20th edition of the Solheim Cup, scheduled for Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands. Team Europe will look to reclaim the trophy from Team USA.
The opening ceremony will be broadcast live on Thursday, 10 September at 4 pm on Sky Sports+, followed by continuous coverage across all three days of the biennial event on Sky Sports Golf. Coverage starts at 6 am on Friday, 11 September, and Saturday, 12 September, with two sessions each day, and the singles competition begins at 9 am on Sunday, 13 September. Viewers can also access the latest Sky Sports deals or stream the action without a contract on NOW.