STEPHANIE MEADOW WINS LADY PUERTO RICO CLASSIC TITLE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Stephanie Meadow, 19-year-old from Jordanstown, near Belfast, Northern Ireland, today won the Lady Puerto Rico Classic women's college golf tournament in her first year as a student at the University of Alabama.
Stephanie, who moved with her family to the United States when she was 14 to enhance her golf career prospects, won a host of American junior tournaments as a pupil at the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Named as a reserve to last year's GB and Ireland team for the Curtis Cup match at Essex County Club, Massachusetts, Stephanie's victory will enhance her prospects of a first GB and I cap in the Vagliano Trophy match against the Continent of Europe at Royal Porthcawl in June.
She had rounds of 73, 70 and 69 for a four-under-par total of 212 over the par-72, 6191yd River course at Rio Mar Country Club, San Juan in Puerto Rico.
Stephanie, joint leader with one round to go, had five birdies in all in her final round but it was her sub-par figures at the 13th, 15th and 17th which enabled her to regain the advantage from Maria Salinas (Florida State) who had rounds of 71, 73 and 69 for 213. Salinas bogeyed the last, which Meadow parred for victory.
Meadow also led the Alabama squad - the Crimson Tide - to victory in the team event. Four Alabama players finished into the top 14 and they won the team title by five shots from Iowa State with Florida State third in a field of 18 teams.
Her dad Robert, who sent the picture of Stephanie with the trophy to Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk, said: "Naturally, we are thrilled to bits and very proud of Steph."
So what's the secret of Stephanie's continued success? She's only 5ft 4in so she's never going to overpower the opposition but what she does do is hit the ball very straight, especially off the tee, and on the days when the putts drop, that's a winning combination.
She's a member at Royal Portrush Golf Club - which will host the British women's open amateur championship in June.
Other British students in the Lady Puerto Rico Classic field were Raffi Dywer (pictured below) from Hayling Island and a freshman student at Oregon University, and

Aberdeen-born Katy Cardno, a student at Texas Christian University.
Raffi finished joint 59th with scores of 79, 76 and 81 for  236, her final round including two double bogeys.
Kay shot 78, 81 and 86 for 245 and 90th place.
Keep practising, girls!

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
212 Stephanie Meadow (Alabama) 73 70 69.
213 Maria Salinas (Florida State) 71 73 69.
214 Marta Silva Zamora (Georgia) 76 68 870.

LEADING FINAL TEAM TOTALS

875 Alabama.
880 Iowa State.
891 Florida State.
896 Purdue.
907 Georgia.
18 teams in field.

REST OF US COLLEGE TOURNAMENT NEWS

Kirsty Rands from Surrey, a transfer from Mississippi student now at Augusta State University, tied for 62nd place in a field of 92 players at the UCF (University of Central Florida) Challenge at RedTail Golf Club, Sorrento in Florida.
Over a par-72, 6,319yd course, Kirsty, pictured right, could hardly have been more consistent - better, maybe, but more consistent no - because she had three rounds of 78.
She had six birdies over the 54 holes but nullified the benefit of the sub-par figures with three double bogeys in her second round and one double bogey in her third and last round.
There were joint winners of the tournament after two sudden-death holes of a play-off were halved in par.
Ashleigh Albrecht (Kentucky) and Teresa Puga (Minnesota) both totalled 208, Albrecht with scores of 66, 70 and 72, Teresa with 70, 72 and 66.

Meanwhile Emma Clegg (Missouri State), pictured left,  from Blackburn and Welsh junior international Natasha Gobey (Toledo), pictured right, finished down the field in the Claud Jacobs Women's Intercollegiate tournament over 54 holes at Victoria Country Club, Victoria in Texas.

Emma scored 79, 87 and 79 for 245 and a shared of 49th place in the field of 90.

Natasha's rounds were 82, 89 and 84 for 256 and a 74th place finish.