Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow really is on a mission to gain back her LPGA status and is T6 after the first round of the IOA Championships.
Meadow, who won on the Cactus Tour at the end of March having finished 6th at Florida’s Natural Charity Classic on the Symetra Tour and sits in T6 place in their latest event, the IOA Championship after an opening round -3.
The Jordanstown native commented, “It’s the first time I’ve hit the ball really well in a long time, so I feel pretty comfortable.”
Meadow was tied for the lead after nine holes and struggled a little coming home with four bogeys on the card, but she also recorded three birdies.
“I lost it a little bit out there on the back (nine), but I know how to fix it. I have to get my weight into my right heel and then fire from there,” she said.
Between tournaments, however, Meadow won the Cactus Tour event at Sundance Golf Club in Buckeye, Ariz., from March 27-29. The momentum has provided an extra foundation to grow her game so far this season.
Having come back from a serious injury in recent months Meadow is plying her trade between the local Cactus Tour where she is honing her game and the Symetra Tour where she is aiming for a Top 10 which would get her bac on the LPGA circuit for next season and she knows that momentum is key to her goals.
“Winning is winning, it doesn’t matter where it is,” Meadow said. “It’s just a learning curve. If you can get confidence any way you can do it and come out here and not feel kind of rusty. It’s only the second event of the year, but I’ve played a ton of Cactus (Tour) events, so I don’t feel like it’s the start of the year. I’ve never had that (feeling) before.”
The win, coupled with a new bag from her sponsor Investec, has Meadow feeling good heading into the second round. She will tee off just three shots off the lead held by Tour Rookie Regina Plasencia from Mexico.
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