Meadow struggles in final round of LPGA Mediheal as promising week ends in frustration

Adam McKendry
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Stephanie Meadow (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

Adam McKendry

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A week on the LPGA Tour that promised so much for Stephanie Meadow ended in disappointment as a tough fourth round at the LPGA Mediheal Championship saw her tumble down the leaderboard.

The Jordanstown woman had opened the week at The Saticoy Club in Somis, California with a four-under 68 and at one point in her second round was just one shot off the lead before eventually settling for a top-five after a 70.

But while a strong finish on Saturday on her way to a 71 kept her inside the top-10, she cratered on Sunday as just one birdie and four bogeys led to a three-over 75 which dropped her back to four-under-par for the tournament.

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That means that after spending the entirety of the first three rounds inside the top-10, Meadow would eventually finish tied for 32nd, and her chance to take a significant step towards the top-60 of the Race to CME Globe standings has passed her by.

The 30-year-old instead only moved up one place – from 79th to 78th – and her time is running out for her to break into the field for the season-ending Tour Championship.

Meanwhile, it was relief for England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff, who ended her barren run on the LPGA Tour at the 246th attempt as she completed a wire-to-wire win in California for her first Tour title.

It wasn’t the convincing win she wanted after starting the day four shots ahead, and she had lost her advantage by the turn as second-placed Paula Reto strung together four birdies and Ewart Shadoff bogeyed the par-three ninth.

But the Englishwoman battled back, birdies at the 12th and 14th taking her clear again as Reto fell away, and she was able to cling on for a one-under 71 that saw her finish one stroke ahead of Japan’s Yuka Saso at 15-under-par.

“It’s a little bit surreal,” said Ewart Shadoff. “I didn’t know if this moment would ever come. I’m just really grateful for everybody who’s on my team. Last year was really hard. I’m standing here because of them. I’m just really grateful.”

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