LOCAL hero Stephanie Meadow held off Charley Hull to win the women’s tournament while Jack Senior defeated compatriot and good friend Matthew Baldwin in a sudden death play-off at the inaugural ISPS Handa World Invitational, in Northern Ireland.
Galgorm Castle Golf Club witnessed high drama until the final putt was holed as Meadow showed real nerve to earn victory ahead of the charging Hull,
The Symetra Tour winner, who secured her LPGA card for 2019 with her maiden victory last year, secured a one-shot victory, before Senior triumphedwith a birdie on the second extra hole.
Northern Ireland’s Meadow carded a level par round of 73, which included back-to-back birdies on the 10th and 11th holes after a double bogey on the ninth, to stay at her third round total of 10-under.
The two-time Curtis Cup player finished one shot clear of Hull in second, who put together a four-under par 69 to finish.
Meadow, who turned pro in 2014 after a successful spell at the University of Alabama, said: “It’s unbelievable to win here really.
“I’m so excited and honoured as well. I want to thank ISPS Handa and Modest! for giving me the opportunity to come home and compete at home – and win at home… it’s very, very special.
“I got a pretty bad bounce off the tree at the ninth and went into some pretty nasty stuff and had to take a drop.
“I still didn’t have a shot to the green. I’ve definitely hit worse shots this week and ended up okay, but that’s just golf.
“I told myself that and was able to birdie 10 and got back rolling it. I think that was really key to not freak out or panic.
“I hit pretty good shots on 10 but then I had a 10-footer for birdie so to see that fall – after having a few on the front nine that didn’t fall – was nice. It definitely helped.
“I watched a few of the leaderboards out there and I knew a couple of the other girls were close, but not really close enough.
“But when Charley hit that three-wood to six feet on 18, it was an unreal shot and she’s an unreal player.
“Luckily I was able to hit a nice one in there as well. She didn’t make the putt but it was a great run at me. She definitely gave me a run for my money.
“I’ve got a little bit of work to do to maintain my LPGA card so hopefully I can take this win and use this as momentum.
“If I can win here – I played against Charley Hull and she’s one of the best players in the world – so if I can do it against her, I can do it out there as well. It’s big for my confidence.”
After Senior’s birdie on the 72nd hole ensured he would contest a play-off against Baldwin, who signed for the low round of the day with a six-under 67, the Galgorm crowds were almost faced with the prospect of a double play-off with Hull hunting down Meadow.
But after the Solheim Cup player stiffed a three-wood approach to six feet, Hull’s eagle putt slid past the hole, which allowed Meadow to secure victory with a par in the ground-breaking tournament, organised by One Direction star Nial Horan’s Modest! Golf Management group.
With the destination of the women’s title decided, Senior and Baldwin returned to the 18th tee after both finishing on 11 under – two shots clear of Essex’s Todd Clements in third place.
After both finding the rough from the tee and eventually going down for par, they returned for a second trip down the final hole.
Baldwin took three shots to reach the green before needing three more strokes to eventually go down for bogey, leaving Senior with a six-footputt for victory which he duly holed before celebrating with girlfriend and caddy Beth in front of the packed grandstand.
Senior, who played in the 2011 Walker Cup win against the USA team containing Jordan Spieth and Patrick Cantlay, said: “It’s great to get it over the line.
“I’ve been close a couple of times this year but to finally get it done means a lot. I’d like to say thank-you to ISPS Handa and the Modest! guys – they’ve done a great job again of running this golf tournament.
“I’ve been in three play-offs before and won all three, so keep the play-offs coming I say.
“You should feel a bit relaxed coming into a play-off because no matter what happens, you’ve still had a really good week so it takes the pressure off a little bit.
“I’m a big leaderboard watcher so I knew what I needed to do coming down the last. I think when I know what I need to do, I play my best golf.
“I’ve been mixed between the European Tour and Challenge Tour this year and it’s always difficult to make a decision on what to do.
“I had the opportunity to go and play in Prague this week but I said at the start of the season that August was going to be crunch time for me in terms of what Tour to play on.
“I feel like I’ve made the right decision this week with getting the win and no matter what level you win at, it’s always great to do it.”
Following his victory, Senior jumps from 58th to 11th on the Challenge Tour rankings and in doing so earns a spot in this week’s limited field Rolex Trophy, in Geneva.
Meadow, meanwhile, will jet across the Atlantic Ocean to compete in the CP Women’s Open, in Canada, on the LPGA Tour.
