Meaghan Francella Bio
Meaghan Francella is an American professional golfer best known for her time on the LPGA Tour. Born and raised in Port Chester, New York, she rose through amateur golf in the Northeast before becoming one of the top college players in the country. She captured her lone LPGA Tour title in 2007, holding off world number one Annika Sörenstam in a playoff, a victory that defined the early stage of her professional career.
Standing 5 ft 4 in tall, Francella built her reputation on accurate ball-striking and a calm demeanor under pressure. Across her career on the LPGA Tour and developmental circuits, she recorded three professional wins and earned a reputation as a steady competitor in major championships.
Early Life and Background
Meaghan Francella was born on May 12, 1982, in Port Chester, New York, and grew up in the surrounding Westchester County community. She attended the School of the Holy Child in Rye, New York, where she developed her game while competing against some of the strongest junior fields in the region. Her early promise was evident when she captured the New York State Junior Championship on two occasions, signaling that she was one of the top amateur players in the state.
Coming from a tight-knit New York background, Francella balanced academics and athletics throughout her youth. Her success at the junior level opened the door to a college career in the South, where she would eventually face the highest level of NCAA competition.
Path to Professional Golf
After high school, Francella enrolled at the University of Memphis, joining the Tigers’ women’s golf program. Her impact was immediate; she was named Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 2001, one of the strongest starts for any newcomer in the conference at that time.
Seeking a stronger competitive platform, she transferred to the University of North Carolina for her junior year. At North Carolina she became the 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference individual champion and was recognized as an NCAA First-Team All-American in 2004. Francella completed her degree in communications in 2005, having established herself as one of the top amateur golfers in the country.
Meaghan Francella Career
Early Career (2004–2006)
After her college eligibility ended in 2004, Meaghan Francella turned professional and joined the Futures Tour, the developmental circuit that fed into the LPGA Tour. She finished 65th at the 2005 LPGA Qualifying School to earn non-exempt status for the 2006 LPGA season, then made three starts on the main tour that year, making one cut.
Back on the Futures Tour in 2006, she broke through with a win at the Lakeland Duramed FUTURES Classic and added six additional top-10 finishes. Those results placed her fifth on the Futures Tour money list, earning her fully exempt status on the LPGA Tour for 2007.
LPGA Tour Breakthrough (2007–2010)
Francella’s first LPGA Tour win came in her second start of 2007 at the MasterCard Classic. She opened with rounds of 68-68-69, carding only two bogeys across the three-round event, and then held off world number one Annika Sörenstam in a four-hole playoff. The victory made her an instant headline and remains the signature result of her career.
She followed that breakthrough with strong major-championship form, tying for fifth at the 2007 Chevron Championship. She matched that T5 at the Chevron again in 2009 and added a T7 at the 2010 Women’s PGA Championship and a T17 at the 2009 U.S. Women’s Open. Across her LPGA career she compiled three professional wins, with the LPGA Tour playoff record standing at 1–0.
Later Career (2011–2013)
After her early peak, Francella continued to play on the LPGA Tour through 2013, balancing a full schedule on the main circuit. While she did not add a second LPGA title, her major-championship appearances during this stretch showed she remained a factor on the biggest stages.
She remained active on the LPGA Tour through 2013, maintaining her exempt status and competing regularly on the U.S. circuit.
Notable Events and Milestones
Francella’s career highlight remains the 2007 MasterCard Classic, where she outlasted Annika Sörenstam in a four-hole playoff to claim her lone LPGA Tour title. Her back-to-back T5 finishes at the Chevron Championship in 2007 and 2009 underscored her ability to perform in majors, while her 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference individual title and 2004 NCAA First-Team All-American selection stand as her most decorated amateur accomplishments.
Meaghan Francella Career Wins
Meaghan Francella has recorded three professional wins across her career, split between the LPGA Tour, the Epson Tour (formerly the Futures Tour), and one additional event. Her lone LPGA Tour victory came in 2007, and she has never lost an LPGA playoff, holding a perfect 1–0 record in tour playoffs.
LPGA Tour Highlights
Francella’s only LPGA Tour win came at the 2007 MasterCard Classic, where she fired three consecutive rounds in the 60s and then defeated Annika Sörenstam in a four-hole playoff. The result was the centerpiece of a breakthrough 2007 season that also included a T5 at the Chevron Championship.
Other Wins & Performances
Beyond her LPGA title, Francella won the Lakeland Duramed FUTURES Classic in 2006 on what is now known as the Epson Tour, and she added one other professional victory elsewhere on her résumé.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| LPGA Tour | 1 | Multiple | — |
| Epson Tour (Futures Tour) | 1 | 7 (including win) | — |
| Other | 1 | — | — |
Meaghan Francella Family
Personal Life
Meaghan Francella grew up in Port Chester, New York, and has continued to make her home there. She graduated from the University of North Carolina with a degree in communications in 2005, reflecting the academic side of her path through the sport.
2025 Season Outlook
As of 2025, Meaghan Francella remains based in Port Chester, New York, where she continues to be associated with the LPGA Tour. Her most recent documented LPGA Tour season was 2013, after which her competitive appearances on the main tour became less frequent, and her exemption status changed accordingly.
Looking ahead to the rest of 2025, Francella’s outlook centers on any selective tour opportunities, sponsor invitations, or developmental events she chooses to enter, given her long-standing exempt history. Her career foundation, including a 2007 LPGA title and a 1–0 playoff record, leaves open the possibility of selected appearances should she elect to compete.