Guest Stephanie Meadow presents junior prizes

Accompanied by her fiancé, and caddy, Kyle Kallan, she handed out the silverware in a presentation ceremony which was also attended by Roma English, captain of the Ladies branch, and the men’s captain Ashley Moore.

Roma said: “Stephanie has become a role model and is such an inspiration for all our young members, and who knows, some of them might have aspirations of following in her footsteps.

”We were so pleased she took time to spend with our juniors. It meant an awful lot.”

Stephanie joined Royal Portrush when she was aged 10 in 2002 to pursue a brilliant amateur career during which she was part of the GB and Ireland team which won the Curtis Cup at Nairn in 2012, the same year she won the British Women’s Amateur.

She represented Ireland at home international and European level before turning professional in 2014 after moving to live permanently in the United States. She has won twice as a professional.

Sir Richard McLaughlin, the club president and Kath Stewart-Moore, president of the Ladies branch, were also present as Stephanie spoke about her life on the US tour, her time playing the Dunluce and Valley courses, and how she would always be linked to the club. She presented the Stephanie Meadow Trophy to Jessica Allen for endeavour.

Other prize winners included the junior girls’ champion, Farrah Park; junior boys’ champion Thomas Iliff, and the under-14 boys’ champion David Lockhart.

Roma added: “Royal Portrush prides itself in having a very strong junior section. They represent the club’s playing future and that’s why we, especially the convenors, Richard Beggs, Elaine Cameron and Darren Pollock, invest so much time and effort in helping to develop their careers.”