Stephanie Meadow – Syndication Server

Just as women’s golf is rising in Ireland, a key event is taken off the schedule

This signals a high water mark in women’s golf for the region, one that even the players have noticed.

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ANTRIM, Northern Ireland — Pop your head into any golf shop along the northwest coast of Ireland and you’re sure to gather in a healthy dose of Leona Maguire, one of the nation’s greatest golf products.

Posters of the 28-year-old appear with as much frequency as they would of Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City or Steph Curry in the Bay area. Maguire is also on the cover of the most recent Irish Golfer magazine, smiling while standing between the words “Leona: That winning feeling,” marking the second time in the publication’s last 20 issues that she’s graced the front page.

In this emerald paradise, her star couldn’t be shining much brighter.

She’s not alone. While the island that encompasses the countries of Ireland and Northern Ireland has long produced male golf superstars, female pros have not enjoyed the same level of success until recently.

The former Duke player dominated the amateur game and held the No. 1 ranking for 135 weeks, a record that was broken by Rose Zhang. In 2022, Maguire became the first Irishwoman to win on the LPGA at the Drive On Championship.

Others have followed suit. At this week’s ISPS Handa World Invitational presented by Aviv Clinics at Galgorm Castle Golf Club and Castlerock Golf Club outside Belfast, Maguire is joined by Stephanie Meadow, Olivia Mehaffey and Jessica Ross, who all hail from Northern Ireland.

2023 ISPS HANDA World Invitational — The 16th tee box at Galgorm Castle Golf Club for the 2023 ISPS Handa World Invitational. (Photo: Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

It signals a high-water mark in women’s golf for the region, one that even the players have taken notice of.

“It’s amazing. I think when I was a little girl I looked up to the guys,” said Mehaffey, an Arizona State product who plays on the Ladies European Tour. “We always had so many great male players. Didn’t maybe have as much on the women’s side. Obviously, Leona and Steph are kind of breaking down a lot of barriers. I am coming in behind them. There are a lot of girls in college. It’s getting really strong. It’s nice to see the women follow in the men’s footsteps.

“So I think it’s exciting and Irish golf is a good place. I think it’s only going to get better, and I think events like this and also for us having the Irish Open back on the schedule I think it’s great. I believe that we’re in a good spot. It’s just going to keep getting better.”

Unfortunately, this event, which showcases LPGA, LET and DP World Tour players, will be short-lived. The DP World Tour released its 2024 schedule earlier this week and the ISPS Handa wasn’t included. Organizers told BBC Sport there are plans for another big event in the region, but the mixed format – in which male and female players compete for the same size purse – will not be extended.

Still, the sunsetting of the tournament hasn’t dampened the spirits of those in this week’s field. Maguire, for example, is eager to play again just two hours from her home of Cavan. She says she loves the support, even if it’s a bit overwhelming at times.

“I wouldn’t necessarily call it pressure. I think the Irish fans are fantastic to come out and support their own, whether it’s golf or whether it’s Women’s World Cup a few weeks ago or whatever it is,” Maguire said. “I think it’s always nice to have people wishing you well and rooting you on and wanting to see you do well. You can call it pressure, but either way, you want to do as well as you can every week, and this week is really no different.

“It’s nice to have that sort of extra support there when you hit a good shot and things like that. Yeah, it’s just a little bit of an extra incentive to do better this week.”

If Maguire does find that extra incentive, the field best beware. She’s missed just one cut in 14 starts this year and has posted five top-10 finishes, including a win at the Meijer LPGA Classic. Using a white-hot putter of late, she’ll be looking to improve on last year’s 10th-place finish, and would be the perfect final winner during the event’s swan song.

2023 Women's PGA Championship — Stephanie Meadow chips a shot onto the 3rd green during the third round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Meadow, meanwhile, will be looking to rekindle the magic she displayed in 2019 when she won the event. The tournament is played at two courses through the opening two rounds with men’s groups and women’s groups alternating. After the cut, the final two rounds will all be played at Galgorm.

The win in 2019 was an extra special one for Meadow, as she had her husband on the bag.

“I mean, that was such an amazing memory to have all my friends and family here,” said Meadow, who is a member at nearby Ballyclare Golf Club as well as Royal Portrush. “To do it at a golf course where I took lessons up on the range there when I was 10 years old, I mean, talk about a transformation. Obviously, a super special memory and I’m excited to be back here again.”

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Former Irish teammates Leona Maguire and Stephanie Meadow find themselves in final group together on Sunday at KPMG Women’s PGA

Can an Irishwomen pull it off?

SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — Stephanie Meadow can only imagine the number of drinks that will be flowing at Royal Portrush should an Irishwoman triumph at Baltusrol on Sunday. Meadow trails her childhood friend Leona Maguire by two strokes heading into the final round at the KPMG Women’s PGA.

With the PGA of America moving up tee times due to weather and going off split tees in threesomes, Maguire and Meadow will play together in the final group alongside Jenny Shin, who sits alone in third.

“I’ll put it this way,” said Meadow. “I knew her when she was reading Harry Potter books.”

Maguire, winner of last week’s LPGA Meijer Classic, became the first woman from Ireland to win on the LPGA in 2022. A birdie on the 18th put her at 7 under for the championship. She’s the only player in the field with three consecutive rounds in the 60s at Baltusrol’s Lower Course.

KPMG Women’s PGA: Photos

Maguire reckons she has known Meadow for about 18 years.

“We played on Ulster county teams together and played on Irish teams together,” said Maguire. “We played Curtis Cup together. We played foursomes together. We roomed together.

“I’ve known Steph a long time. We’ve been good friend a long time. We’ve done battle many times before. It’s great to see her playing so well.”

Northern Ireland’s Meadow, a newlywed, ranks 151st in the world and got a boost last week with her season-best T-13 in Michigan. She was there waiting on the 18th green at the Meijer with celebratory champagne for her longtime friend.

Maguire’s Irish caddie, Dermot Byrne, caddied for Shane Lowry at the 2016 PGA at Baltusrol and has been key to her success the past two years.

“I think the biggest thing is he has given me the confidence,” said Maguire. “I think he has believed in me in times where I haven’t believed in myself. He is just a really steady presence out there.

“I think he doesn’t get too excited when things are going well, and he doesn’t get too down when things aren’t. I think we’re quite similar in that regard.”

Shin’s 66 matched the low round of the day and put her in contention for her first LPGA title in eight years. The 30 year old said there was a period of time when she was content with not winning. She was happy enough simply playing decent golf. But after a self-evaluation a few years back, she decided that she wanted more.

“You know, this is my 13th year out here,” said Shin. “I’m sure if you ask any player that’s been out here this long, there’s ups and downs and phases in life, and I think I went through that phase.

“So now, you know, I want to win more than anything.”

World No. 1 Jin Young Ko lurks four shots back and is the only player in the top six who has won a major, two in fact.

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She began the day with three bogeys in the first four holes and then poured in four consecutive birdies on the back nine in what proved to be an unusually up-and-down round.

“Still, I don’t know this golf course,” Ko said with a laugh.

Lee-Anne Pace, a South African who made her first LPGA start to the season at the ShopRite LPGA Classic and played her way into the KPMG with a T-30 finish, sits tied at 4 under with China’s Ruoning Yin, who won her first LPGA title earlier this season at the DIO Implant L.A. Open. Yin hit 17 greens in the first round and 18 on Saturday.

“If my putting can just get online,” said Yin, “I think I have a big chance to win.”

Lauren Coughlin began the week with a 75 but pulled herself into a share of sixth with Ko after rounds of 67-68. She’s made only one bogey in the last 36 holes.

“I just kept telling myself, like, you’re really good at golf,” said Coughlin, who at 30 is still looking for her first LPGA win. “I think I forget that sometimes, and that was something I just kept telling myself all day yesterday and again today if any nerves or anything came up.”

Rookie sensation Rose Zhang eagled the last hole, nestling it up to 5 feet with a 5-wood from 219 yards. Zhang, who made her professional debut in a major this week, sits in a share of 12th, six shots back.

“I felt like my swing was really solid,” said Zhang. “It was way better than the first couple days. Finally getting in the groove.”

U.S. Women’s Open: It’s not about the money, players say but many lives will be changed by the $10 million purse

The winner of the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open will get $1.8 million. The runner-up will earn more than last year’s champ.

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – Stephanie Meadow finished third in her professional debut at the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open on Pinehurst No. 2. She earned $285,102 for her efforts, a massive sum for a recent college graduate.

“I had a rough time in ’16 and ’17,” said Meadow of the years immediately following her father Robert’s death. “That money carried me through that.”

The U.S. Women’s Open purse has long had a life-changing impact, not just for winners, but for many like Meadow, who cash the biggest checks of their careers. Some, like her, won’t yet be tour members.

This week, that will likely happen more than ever with an historic $10 million purse on the table thanks in large part to the addition of ProMedica, the championship’s first presenting sponsor.

Brittany Lang echoes the thoughts of many of her peers when she says playing on the LPGA was never about the money. When she won this championship in 2016, she remembers walking in the parking lot with her mom and brother and asking, “What do you win for this? I don’t even know.”

It was always about the dream.

“Now that I’m close to hanging it up,” said Lang, “and I have a daughter, and you start thinking about money and you play worse.”

Lang made $810,000 when she won the Open at CordeValle.

The winner of this week’s championship will earn $1.8 million. The player who finishes runner-up will earn $1,080,000. That’s more than last year’s winner, Yuka Saso, who earned $1 million.

“Honestly, the thought of a $10 million purse just absolutely blows my mind to be perfectly honest,” said former major champ Karen Stupples. “I don’t even know how to think about money in those terms and how – what it means going into your bank account, what the potential is there in one big chunk, even for like a 30th place or a 40th place.”

Even those who miss the cut this week will receive $8,000, double last year.

Early on in her career, Matilda Castren had three seasons in which she lost money. She gave herself a five-year span to earn her LPGA card and make it.

“I remember looking at my bank account and there was $10 left,” said Castren. “OK, I just have to survive until next month, and then I know I’m getting a check. That’s a really common thing. I think a lot of people don’t realize it. People just think you’re living your dream playing golf every week. It’s really not as simple as that.”

Castren, 27, won seven times in college at Florida State and competed on the Epson Tour until earning her LPGA card for the 2020 season through Q-School. In 2021, she won LPGA Mediheal Championship to become the first player from Finland to win on tour. She earned $225,000 for her victory.

“It just felt so surreal,” she said, “just logging into my mobile app and seeing all the zeroes.”

A now-engaged Meadow would like to buy a house in the near future, but must weigh the risk of parting with a large chunk of money against the possibility that she might get injured or go through another rough patch where little money is coming in.

“I think the older you get,” she said, “the more you realize how lucky the (PGA Tour) guys are.”

How big is $10 million? Consider that next week’s purse at the ShopRite LPGA Classic is $1,750,000. There are 15 events on the LPGA schedule with purses that are less than $2 million.

“We don’t start playing golf for money,” said veteran Carolina Masson. “That’s not the incentive, that’s not the reason. But when you come out here, especially as a young player, money is an issue because you need a lot of money to do what you do for a full season.

“Playing for this kind of money is huge; it gives so much opportunity.”

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10 best women’s college golfers of the decade

Golfweek’s Julie Williams ranks the top 10 female college golfers of the past decade.

Women’s college golf is continually getting deeper, as evidenced by the number of new teams that are constantly coming into the mix in the postseason.

The past decade not only saw breakout stars, but more opportunities. For one thing, a women’s player of the year award came into the mix in 2014 with the creation of the ANNIKA Award. Like the Haskins Award, it’s voted on by players coaches and media.

Three of the women on this list have won that award — some multiple times. Others broke program record, NCAA records, racked up titles or led their teams to NCAA glory.

These are the best 10 women’s college golfers of the decade.

10. Bronte Law, UCLA (2013-2016)

UCLA’s Bronte Law. (Photo: UCLA Athletics)

Law won seven times in three and a half seasons as a Bruin (which is a program record), and almost half of those came in her junior season. That year ended with the ANNIKA Award as well as the top spot in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings. Over the course of her college career, Law shaved three shots off her scoring average.

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