Despite a six-under 64 in their final round, Stephanie Meadow and Cristie Kerr failed to make any ground on the leaderboard at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational as they finished the tournament in 28th.
The pair started the day in 28th and combined for seven birdies, six of which came on their back nine, and one bogey as they ended the week at 11-under-par, but that was only good enough to maintain their position on the leaderboard.
With scoring very good in the fourball better-ball format at the only official team event on the LPGA Tour calendar, Meadow and Kerr’s 64 was only around the field average and means Meadow’s hopes of retaining her Tour status for next season have taken a hit.
Although she is still well inside the top-80 that retain their playing status without the need for Q-School, the Jordanstown woman fell from 60th to 64th with this result as she looks to avoid taking her safety to the final event as she has done the last few years.
It was Meadow who provided of the scoring in their partnership on Saturday as she contributed two birdies compared to Kerr’s one, with the pair both birdieing four of the same holes.
Indeed, it was a run of four birdies in the first five holes of her back nine that saw Meadow pull the pairing up the leaderboard again after a level-par front nine, with Kerr rounding things off with a birdie at the par-three 18th.
At 11-under, the duo finished 15 shots back of winners Jennifer Kupcho and Lizette Salas, who closed out a comfortable five-shot victory with a closing 61 to end their week 26-under-par.
The American pair, who have been exceptional throughout the week, dovetailed superbly once more with nine birdies – Salas contributing five to Kupcho’s three, with the pair both birdieing one hole – to ease to the title, Kupcho’s third and Salas’ second.
A closing 62 saw Matilda Castren and Kelly Tan finish runners-up at 21-under-par, while a stunning 59 from Maria Fassi and Stacy Lewis saw them soar up the leaderboard and into solo third at 20-under.
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