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 five runner‑up finishes earlier in the season, the Ladies European Tour standout finally broke her streak, winning wire‑to‑wire and posting a course‑record 63 on the opening day at The K Club’s Palmer South Course.
Alexander launched her round with birdies on three of her first four holes and never looked back, closing at an astonishing 20‑under par. She finished three strokes clear of Czech Republic’s Sara Kouskova, who took second place, while Finland’s Noora Komulainen trailed a further shot behind.
The South African’s dominance was highlighted by her ability to maintain composure despite the challenging weather conditions that plagued the tournament. Leona Maguire, the Irish favorite, finished as the top‑finishing local player, landing in fourth place, five shots off the lead.
Her performance came during a historic week for Irish golf, with a record nine Irish professionals and seven amateurs entering the field – the strongest home representation the Irish Open has ever seen. From the start, the tournament was a battle against the elements.
Saturday’s third round was suspended for 45 minutes as heavy rain hammered the Palmer South Course, and the final round’s closing par‑five was shortened on Sunday to accommodate the persistent downpour. These interruptions added an extra layer of difficulty, testing the resilience of every competitor. On the final day, Alexander’s early momentum wavered briefly when she dropped shots on the first two holes, offering a glimpse of vulnerability for the first time all week.
However, she quickly rebounded, stringing together three consecutive birdies from the fifth hole onward. The surge re‑established her cushion and allowed her to steer the tournament toward the long‑awaited triumph she had been chasing. “This win feels incredibly special,” Alexander said after her victory.
“The event itself is prestigious, and I feel this second win is as meaningful as the first because it proves I’m not just a fluke.” She added that she was eager to return home and celebrate with family and friends, emphasizing that her primary goal for the season is to top the Order of Merit, a target best achieved by winning tournaments like this. Maguire’s final round began seven shots behind the leader, but she carried the confidence of her own 63 from Friday, a round that featured nine birdies and no missed shots before the heaviest rain arrived on Saturday. On Sunday, she ignited the home crowd with four birdies in a five‑hole stretch around the turn, climbing to 15‑under par. Unfortunately, the 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, matching the performance she posted at Dromoland Castle in 2022. “It’s been a fantastic week,” Maguire reflected. “The spectators have been amazing, rain or shine. I think we’ve added another successful chapter to the Irish Open’s history, and the fans have been a huge part of that.” She also noted the satisfaction of posting a low score over the weekend, saying, “Friday didn’t go as planned, but overall a 15‑under round is a solid effort and it’s great to give the home crowd something to cheer about.” Maguire’s timing could not be better, as she was recently selected by Anna Nordqvist as one of the captain’s picks for next month’s Solheim Cup.
This comes after a season in which she missed the cut in four of the five majors and had not claimed a win in two years. A top‑five finish at her national open suggests her form is finally clicking at a crucial moment. Her Solheim Cup record stands at 8‑3‑1 across three appearances, and she was the leading scorer during Europe’s victorious 2021 campaign, remaining unbeaten as a rookie.
This pedigree made her the sole experienced player among Nordqvist’s four picks, which also include debutants Julia Lopez Ramírez of Spain, Nastasia Nadaud of France, and Mimi Rhodes of England. Both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour will observe a brief hiatus before the 20th edition of the Solheim Cup, set to take place at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands.
Team Europe will be looking to reclaim the trophy from Team USA. The opening ceremony for the Solheim Cup will be broadcast live on Thursday, 10 September at 4 pm on Sky Sports+, followed by round‑the‑clock coverage across all three competition days on Sky Sports Golf. Coverage begins at 6 am on Friday, 11 September, continues with two sessions on Saturday, 12 September, and culminates with the singles matches starting at 9 am on Sunday, 13 September.
Viewers can also access the latest Sky Sports deals or stream the event without a contract via NOW.