Stephanie Meadow is about to become a three-time Olympian when she joins Leona Maguire as Team Ireland representatives in the Women’s Golf Olympic competition for the third successive time having first teamed up in Rio in 2016, then at the COVID-affected 2020 Games (held in 2021) in Tokyo.
And playing in the first group to get underway on Wednesday morning alongside Perrine Delacour from the host nation and Manon de Roey from neighbouring Belgium, the Jordanstown woman is anticipating a raucous atmosphere right from the word go.
“I think we realise how special this is to both of us,” she said, appearing alongside Maguire in their pre-tournament press conference. “That’s why we came in early, so we could watch the guys and get to a few things and settle in. We’re excited about the atmosphere we saw for the guys. Japan was amazing but no fans.
“I’m very excited. I’m in the first group tomorrow, so I expect the first team will be quite a lot of fun and probably a memory that will last a lifetime.”
Maguire felt that Le Golf National was a course where all aspects of a player’s game need to be on point to score well, and Meadow echoed those sentiments, particularly after watching the closing stages of the men’s event unfold.
“I agree,” she said. “The golf course is in great shape. Leona is right. You’re going to have to do everything well this week to go low and to medal and very happy with how it’s playing. It was fun to watch the guys at the end. It’s been a great week so far.”
Whilst women’s golf continues to grow in popularity, with the KPMG Women’s Irish Open rapidly becoming one of the best attended events in the women’s game, typically week to week on the LPGA Tour, the crowds in attendance pale in comparison to those on the PGA Tour.
This week promises to be different, and Meadow is hoping for similar crowds to those who watched each of the four days last week.
“I said it on Saturday and Sunday when I was watching the guys, it was incredible to be in this atmosphere and have those kind of chills and goosebumps,” she explained. “We want that. We don’t want to be out there with ten people watching us and just a small clap. That’s something we dream about. The guys get it more than us but we would obviously want that as well.
“I joked with Leona when we played nine on Sunday there were all those people around 18, and we were like, that’s probably the most people we’ve ever hit a golf shot but nobody was paying attention and maybe we’ll have that. It’s something we all want. We’re here for a reason and we’re good. Like you said for a lot of us it makes us play better. I’m looking forward to it. It’s a special opportunity for me.”
Le Golf National may not have had quite the same degree of thick rough as was famously on show during the 2018 Ryder Cup, but hitting the fairways will still be a premium this week and Meadow’s first inspection revealed that, unlike the men who had the power to muscle the ball forwards, with longer irons in hand that may not be an option for the women.
“It’s hard to prepare, especially this course, there’s a lot of areas where you can only hit it so far,” she said, “so obviously the guys are hitting to the exact same point we are hitting and they had wedge in and we have 8-iron in, as much as we spin the ball or not spin the ball, it’s different. They play a different game than we do, but I think our game is just as impressive.
“You know, it’s hard to compare directly but I think they have done a good job trying to manage that. It makes a huge difference. I think it’s almost like, what they had — now we can get it somewhat the same way.”
The 18th hole provided drama in spades throughout the entirety of the men’s event, with each birdie seeming like an eagle and numerous double bogeys and even triple bogeys recorded, and Meadow is expecting it to be even tougher for the women, particularly when the pins are cut closer to the front of the green, as they will be hitting longer clubs in.
“I think if you get your drive in the fairway – well, the past few days, Sunday, it was driver, 3-wood. That hole is really firming up. I think a lot will depend on the pin position, too, if it’s the front left pin or front right pin,” she said.
“I don’t think any of us will have enough spin on the spec so the should stop it at those pins so pretty much middle of the green every day. It will be an exciting finish to get a medal or a playoff or whatever it is. I think par 4 or par 5, it will be drama on 18 either way and ultimately you’re trying to get as low as shots of possible. So you’ll have a choice to make on 18 if you’re in contention.”