The Alabama Crimson Tide women’s golf team finished in first place at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic, with freshman Stephanie Meadow earning first medalist honors.
“It was a breakout tournament for [Meadow],” head coach Mic Potter said. “She had won numerous junior tournaments and is a very seasoned player. She knows how to win and handle pressure situations, so to get herself in that position and to come through with a 69 in the last round kind of saved our team. It’s huge for her and our team.”
The first place finish marked the third time in a row that the Tide has finished in the No. 1 spot in Puerto Rico.
Meadow was tied for seventh heading into the second round. She shot three birdies and a bogey, and would end in a tie for first place at the end of the second day.
“I think the main difference between me as a junior golfer and me as a college golfer is learning from my teammates and how they won tournaments,” Meadow said. “I feel like my teammates have really helped me. I [attribute] my success to their leadership.”
Meadow finished in first place at 4-under-par, 212, and earned her first medalist honors in only her fifth tournament with the Tide.
“I’m pretty excited,” Meadow said. “It’s been a goal of mine. Achieving it is far better than anything I’ve ever done in my junior career. I just hope that as a team we can keep getting better and individually that I keep getting better.”
The Tide said it felt its team was strong this season. Senior Camilla Lennarth finished in sixth place at 3-over-par, 219. Junior Brooke Pancake ended at 8-over-par, 224, in a tie for 13th, while senior Courtney Harter finished in a tie for 59th place.
Sophomore Jennifer Kirby led the Tide after the first round. Kirby would end up tied for 13th place on day two and would move up a few spots and finish tied for ninth at 6-over-par, 222.
“I had a pretty good first and last round,” Kirby said. “The second round was kind of so-so. Overall, it was a good start to build on.”
The win marked the first time that Potter’s team has seen three titles in a season.
“We expect to have a chance each time we go out and play,” Potter said. “We have the players to have that be a real expectation. We want to make sure we do everything we can to control our outcome.”
The next tournament for the Tide will be in New Orleans, La., at the Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate from Feb. 27 to March 1.
“It’s a really well known and challenging golf course,” Potter said. “Which is what I like for us to be playing on. I feel like the more penal a golf course is the bigger advantage it is for us. We’re looking forward to it.”
