Stephanie Meadow bowed out of the Bank of Hope LPGA Match Play at the round-robin stage after a 2&1 defeat to Andrea Lee.
It was Meadow’s first defeat of the competition having halved her opening two matches with A Lim Kim and Megan Khang.
The Jordanstown native found herself 2UP after six holes and turned with the narrowest of leads as she looked to book her place in the knockout stages.
An eagle two from Lee on the 12th levelled affairs and she edged her nose in front for the first time with a birdie on 14.
The 15th and 16th holes were halved before Lee landed the knockout punch on 17. Meadow was only able to card a four on the par-3 meaning a par was enough for the American to advance.
Germany’s Caroline Masson overcame top-seed Minjee Lee to complete a clean sweep in her group and storm into the knockout stages with a 100% record.
The Solheim Cup veteran will face Andrea Lee in the round of 16 at Shadow Creek.
Masson was delighted to claim her scalp with a 2&1 victory.
“I knew it was going to be tough,” Masson said. “Minjee is a great player. She’s been playing great the last – well, years really, but the last few weeks as well. Also it’s match play, and I feel like pretty much anybody can beat anybody out here. I just trusted in my game. Feel like I been hitting it good. I was in control.”
It was Masson’s third straight 2&1 victory having seen off Brittany Altomare on Wednesday and Youngin Chun on Thursday.
“It’s been a cool three days,” Masson said. “I think this golf course is really hard, so I feel like I didn’t really play my best, but also I think many players probably feel that same way. I really made the most of it and just really happy to close it out today.”
Seven players completed clean sweeps in their groups and it has been a fruitful week for the Europeans thus far with Madelene Sagstrom and Jodi Ewart Shadoff progressing with 100% records.
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