Meadow targets big finish at KPMG Women’s PGA as Maguire struggles
In Gee Chun of the Republic of Korea hits her shot from the third tee during the third round for the 2022 KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club on June 25, 2022 in Bethesda, Maryland. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)
Stephanie Meadow is determined to continue her strong form this season and finish on a high in the KPMG Women's PGA as she chases a top 10 finish and another giant step towards the season-ending LPGA Tour Championship.
The Jordanstown native (30) carded a level-par 72 in the third round at Congressional Country Club to move up to tied 10th on two-under-par.
She's six shots behind In Gee Chun, who shot a three-over 75 to see her lead reduced to just three strokes over Lexi Thompson and compatriots Hye-Jin Choi and Sei Young Kim on 10-under par.
But as she seeks just her second top 10 in a major, eight years after she finished third on her professional debut in the 2014 US Women's Open, Meadow is looking to put some tough years behind her.
She had to wait until the final regular event of the season to keep her card in 2019 (99th in the standings) and 2021 (100th).
But at 72nd in this year's standings after a solid start to the year, she's looking to kick on and this week's $9 million event represents a huge opportunity with $1.35 million for the winner and 10th place worth a cool $184,752.
"It's a lot of pressure off," Meadow said of her comfortable position in the LPGA standings this year.
"It's funny, though. I was talking to Leona about it, and she was saying it doesn't matter where you are. You are always striving for more. That's her personality.
"It's like, oh, you know, last year it was top 100. This year my focus is to get into the TOUR Championship and get to Asia at the end of the year. It's just funny how your mindset shifts.
"We're never satisfied. I wouldn't want myself to be satisfied because I know I can push myself, but I think sometimes you do need to take a step back and be grateful and acknowledge how well I've played."
It was a day to forget for Maguire, who turned in three-over, then ran up a quadruple-bogey eight at her 12th hole (the third) before finishing birdie-birdie for a five-over 77 that left her tied 64th on seven-over.
But Meadow is playing excellent golf and plans to keep on going.
"I played really solid," she said after following an opening bogey with birdies at the sixth, 10th and 11th before short-siding herself and three-putting for a double-bogey six at the 15th.
"I probably missed more than one green, but I was on the fringe. I really only chipped once, and I ended up making double. That's just a tricky hole, and I missed it kind of in the worst spot possible. But other than that, very happy. Obviously, wish I could have finished at two (under), but it is what it is."
Tough pin positions and slower greens made Congressional a tough test with just two players breaking 70.
"I thought even from the get-go, like on one, you could just tell it was going to be one of those days," Meadow added.
"Everybody has to play it, and I think if you just kind of think about it that way. You have to play. You can't go for birdie. You have to make par on some holes and just walk away… Here you short-side yourself, you're dead.
"I tried to take my medicine on 15, and I did. I just went 45 feet left with the chip. I had no shot. Then three-putted. That's just the name of the game. It's major golf."
Chun, who opened with a 64 to move five clear, fought back from two-over through 11 holes to level after 14 to lead by five.
But she bogeyed the 15th, then saw her third shot sail straight left from the tangly rough at the par-five 16th and finish unplayable under a bush.
Forced to return to the site of her third short, she overshot the green with her fifth but got up and down for her first double-bogey of the week.
Despite that, she remained upbeat as she bids for her third Major win, joking that if things get too easy, they might get boring.
"I just want to enjoy another day tomorrow," Chun said. "Then I'm ready to go.”
