Champion Meadow joins Portrush greats

Stephanie Meadow kept the Royal Portrush bandwagon rolling at the weekend as she claimed the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship title, the first Northern Ireland player to do so since Maureen Madill lifted the trophy at Nairn 33 years ago.

Her success at Carnoustie comes just three weeks after she holed the winning putt which gave Great Britain and Ireland the Curtis Cup for the first time in 16 years.

It was only seven days earlier that Alan Dunbar, also a member of the famous Antrim club, won the men’s British Amateur Championship at Troon. These two successes follow hot on the heels of compatriots and Major winners Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke.

“There must be something in the Scottish air,” quipped the new champion.

Meadow, the 20-year-old Alabama accountancy student, is the first Irish holder of this crown since Lilian Behan in 1985 and is rewarded for victory with exemption to the Ricoh British Women’s Open at Royal Liverpool in September and this week’s US Women’s Open in Wisconsin.

She fought her way through qualifying for last year’s Ricoh at Carnoustie but failed to make the cut and hopes to do better this time.

“I am truly speechless. It has been a heck of a month for me. And having two British champions in the same club can’t be bad,” said Meadow after beating Spaniard Rocio Sanchez Lobato 4&3 in the 18-hole final.

Meadow and her family have been based in America for the past five years and after clinching the title she insisted the move across the Atlantic has been crucial in bringing her game to a new level.

“I have had three or four different coaches and all have made major contributions to my development,” said Meadow, who returns to the States with plans to play in the US Women’s Amateur Championship next month as well as for Ireland at the World Championships in Turkey.

“I feel my game has improved as the week has progressed,” said Meadow after shooting four under par to secure victory.

She made a flying start to the final, winning three of the first four holes as a result of knocking in sizeable putts.

From that moment on there was never any doubt about the result — she turned for home three-up and then went four ahead with a birdie at the 11th, before closing out the match.

Earlier she defeated Dorset teenager Georgia Hall 3&2 in the semi-finals after never being behind.

Meadow intends to complete her academic work before considering a move into the paid ranks, making it clear her eventual ambition was a career as a professional — but all in good time.