Meadow qualifies for AIG Women’s Open after playoff

Stephanie Meadow came through a 12-way playoff for three spots at Final Qualifying to claim her place in this week’s AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews.

China’s Weiwei Zhang led the qualifiers at Craighead links at Crail Golfing Society, posting a five-under-par 67 to top the 92-strong field by a shot from Casandra Alexander, Annabell Fuller, Kristen Gillman and Emma Grechi.

Lauren Hartlage, Noora Komulainen, Lee-Anne Pace and Patricia Schmidt tied for sixth with two under 70s.

Meadow made an eagle, four birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey in a one-under 71 to finish in a tie for tenth.

It meant a 12-way sudden death play-off for the remaining three spots, and Meadow prevailed alongside Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Ursula Wikstrom 

The Jordanstown star (32) will be making her seventh appearance in the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews, joining Co Cavan’s Leona Maguire and Kildare’s Lauren Walsh in the final women’s major of the season.