Women’s British Open in NI would be ‘spectacular’ – Meadow

NI golfer Stephanie Meadow believes a Women’s British Open in Northern Ireland would be “spectacular”.

Major championship golf returned to Northern Ireland last summer when Royal Portrush hosted the men’s Open Championship.

Northern Ireland has never hosted the Women’s British Open, but Meadow hopes that can change in the future.

“I think it would be huge,” said Meadow.

“The crowds we got for the World Invitational at Galgorm last summer were really great and I can only imagine what it would be for an Open.

“Obviously not quite as much as the men but we would still get some great followers. It would be spectacular – any of the golf courses in Northern Ireland would be up to the challenge I’m sure.”

Meadow, 28, is currently staying at home at her base in Phoenix with the LPGA Tour having been suspended due to coronavirus.

However, with the golf courses remaining open in Arizona, Meadow says she has spent some time working on her game ahead of the tour’s eventual resumption.

“Right now, we have stay-at-home orders as opposed to a lockdown,” said the Jordanstown native.

“The golf courses are still open, which is great – I’ve been going out there a little bit, but honestly, I’ve been trying to stay in as much as I can to stay safe.

“It’s not quite the same as home but it’s getting there. Phoenix hasn’t become a hotspot thankfully, nowhere near as bad as New York or other parts of the country.”

“Who knows what’s going to happen over the next two weeks. I drove past a hospital the other day and they had the emergency hospital out in the field in front of it, so it’s still very real here.”

Meadow, who retained her LPGA Tour card in dramatic fashion at the end of 2019, says she has been keeping herself fit with regular sessions on the peloton bike.

However, the former two-time Curtis Cup player admits she isn’t quite up to Rory McIlroy’s level on the popular static cycling challenges.

“His numbers are pretty insane,” admitted Meadow.

“I’m nowhere near that level but it’s fun to compare numbers and do different classes.

“There’s an LPGA Peloton Instagram group and we’re all talking about doing rides together, so it’s just a way to keep connected and keep the motivation up.”