Stephanie Meadow / Image from Symetra Tour
Stephanie Meadow’s long-awaited return to LPGA Tour company has started swimmingly at the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia.
Having secured her LPGA status through the Symetra Tour’s Order of Merit all the way back in October, Meadow had admitted that seeds of self-doubt had made their way into her psyche at times in the interim.
However, the Jordanstown professional showed no signs of fragility this morning, firing four birdies in a hugely promising three-under par 70 on the Creek Course at 13th Beach Club.
Meadow hit 15 greens in regulation averaging 290 yards off the tee and if it wasn’t for a rather cold putter, 30 stabs in-all on the round, it might have been even better.
Still, not bad for someone whose been the guts of four months removed from truly competitive golf with the Northern Irish star occupying a tie for 22ndovernight after a great start to her campaign.
It wasn’t such a good day for Cavan’s Leona Maguire who showed signs of early season rust in her one-over par 73 on the neighbouring Beach Course.
Although she hit 12 of 14 fairways, the former world amateur number one only managed 13 greens in reg and with 32 putts on her card, she’ll be hoping for much better tomorrow to ensure she climbs out of 97thspot and into the weekend proceedings.
The early pace has been set by England’s Felicity Johnson who burst out of the gates with an eight-under par 65 on the Creek Course to lead by two.
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