Stephanie Meadow hoping to end year on a high

Stephanie Meadow is determined to keep on smiling and put a devastating year behind her by winning her LPGA Tour card at the Qualifying Tournament in Florida this week.

The 2015 season promised to be a stellar one for the bubbly Jordanstown native after she burst spectacularly onto he scene in 2014, finishing third behind Michelle Wie in the US Women’s Open at Pinehurst in her first start as a professional.

But after agonisingly missing out to Karlin Beck on the 11th play-off hole for the final card at the LPGA Q-School 12 months ago, her family life was dealt a massive blow when her father, Robert, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The 23-year old took time out to help her mother care for her dad at home and she played just one event, finishing tied 20th in the ANA Inspiration in April as a tribute to him, earning $26,632 (€25,052).