Meadow finds putting touch to contend in Florida
Stephanie Meadow. Picture: Philip Magowan / PressEye
Stephanie Meadow fired a five-under 65 to scorch into contention for her maiden LPGA Tour win in the inaugural Pelican Women's Championship in Florida.
The Galgorm Castle touring professional (28) birdied four of her last five holes at a blustery Pelican Golf Club near Tampa to share third place on six-under-par with AIG Women's Open champion Sophia Popov.
She was just two strokes behind KPMG Women's PGA Championship winner Sei Young Kim of Korea, who carded a bogey-free 65 to lead by a shot from Ally McDonald on eight-under as Leona Maguire made the five-over-par cut with a shot to spare after a 72.
“My back nine was awesome,” said Meadow, who came home in 31 after a one-under front nine featuring a bogey at the tough 10th and birdies at the 12th and 14th.
“Played really solid. The front nine I hit barely any greens and made a ton of up-and-downs. Just kept my cool on my front nine, the back nine, and was able to make some birdies coming in, which was nice.
“Really all my birdie opportunities were probably inside 15 feet, and I putted really good today. I don't think I missed really anything, which was nice.
“I just have to judge the bounces and get some good breaks here and there, because they are starting to firm up obviously downwind it was some firm greens. It's pretty tricky, so you need luck on your side as well.”
Ranked 73rd in the Money List and 59th in the CME Globe, Meadow has struggled on the greens this year but she knew it was only a matter of time before they started to drop.
“I've had a lot of really consistent finishes this year, a lot around T30, and, you know, just haven't gotten everything to click,” she said. “So just kept telling myself at some point you're going to putt well, hit it good, and get some good breaks all in the same week, and so far that's what's happening.”
On the PGA Tour, Shane Lowry and Graeme McDowell went backwards as Colombia's Camilo Villegas remained in contention for an emotional win in the RSM Classic at Sea Island. Scores
Winless since 2008 after suffering a shoulder injury, Villegas (38) and his wife Maria saw their lives changed forever in July when their daughter Mia died aged 22 months following a five-month fight against cancer.
The former world No 7 eagled the 18th at the Plantation Course, carding a six-under 66 that left him on two shots behind Robert Streb, who shot a career-low 63, on 12-under.
McDowell made two birdies in a two-under 68 on the Seaside Course but fell back to 42nd on four-under alongside Lowry, who signed for a one-under 71 on the Plantation Course.
On the European Tour, Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell made three late birdies to dip inside the projected mark in the weather-suspended Joburg Open at Randpark. Scores
The Bangor man birdied the fourth, fifth and sixth on his back nine, carding a one-under 70 that left him tied for 37th on three-under when darkness fell.
South Africa's Jacques Blaauw fired an eight-under 63 to lead by a shot on 13-under from compatriot Wilco Nienaber, who shot a 67 but Ardglass' Cormac Sharvin was three shots outside the projected two-under-par cut mark after a 74.
In the Challenge Tour Grand Final, Alexander Knappe opened a two-stroke lead after posting a sensational bogey-free round of 63 on day two at T-Golf & Country Club. Scores
The German finished with two birdies and an eagle in his last three holes to move two clear of overnight co-leaders Richard Mansell and Björn Hellgren, who share second place on nine under par.
