Golfweek - Golf News Magazine

By NOAH TRISTER
Associated Press

ROGERS, Ark. – Stacy Lewis roused the Arkansas crowd with an impressive start.

Seon Hwa Lee’s finish was even better.

Lee birdied five of her final six holes Friday for an 8-under 64 to take a two-shot lead at the LPGA Tour’s NW Arkansas Championship.

Lee ended with a flourish, hitting a pitching wedge from 104 yards to about 3 feet on No. 18, setting up her last birdie.

“My swing feels really good now,” said Lee, who won the Ginn Tribute last month. “When I practiced this afternoon ... I hit it pretty solid.”

The start was delayed about five hours, bringing back memories of last September, when the inaugural event was shortened from 54 to 18 holes because of heavy rain. It rained hard early Friday morning, and the fairway below the 18th green at Pinnacle Country Club was flooded after a water hazard overflowed.

When the first groups finally started, Lewis took center stage. With a gallery of around 200 cheering her on, the former University of Arkansas star began with birdies on Nos. 1, 3 and 4.

“The first couple of holes I honestly didn’t expect that many people to be out there,” Lewis said. “The first tee was awesome. It was so loud out there, and it was pretty cool.”

Lewis finished with a 69 on the 6,238-yard course, four strokes worse than her tournament-best score a year ago. Because the event lasted only 18 holes last year, she didn’t get credit for an official victory. This weekend, she’ll have a chance to earn one.

“I would like to shoot a better score,” said Lewis, who was tied for eighth. “But I feel like I’m in a good position going into the next couple days, and I just hope we get all the rounds in.”

The sun came out Friday afternoon, and although about half the field wasn’t able to finish the first round, the prospects for the rest of the weekend appear more promising than last year.

“We’ve got a great chance of finishing this golf tournament Sunday afternoon,” said Doug Brecht, the LPGA Tour’s vice president of rules and officials.

H.J. Choi (66) was second, a shot ahead of Ai Miyazato and Eun-Hee Ji. Kristy McPherson also was 5 under through 13 holes.

McPherson started on No. 10 and birdied six of her first seven holes. McPherson shot a first-round 66 at Pinnacle last year.

Soo-Yun Kang shot a 68, and Jee Young Lee was 4 under through 11.

McPherson was the only American in the top seven. Miyazato is from Japan, and the other five players are from South Korea.

Lewis, the 2007 NCAA champion, competed as an amateur in this tournament last year. She finished her career at Arkansas earlier this year — and might end up being the biggest draw this weekend. That’s saying something, considering big names such as Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Natalie Gulbis are in the field.

Lewis led the U.S. Women’s Open after three rounds last weekend in her pro debut, then finished five shots behind Inbee Park.

“The first few days I was here, so many people wanted to say congratulations. And I love that, but I guess I just didn’t expect that many people,” Lewis said. “It’s nice to finally just go out on the golf course. I mean that’s what I’m here to do. That’s where I’m most comfortable.”

Park shot a 70 Friday while playing in a group with Pressel (69) and Creamer (73).

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Scores with relation to par from the first round of the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship, played July 4 at the par-72, 6,238-yard Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Ark. (Note: a-amateur; play suspended due to darkness):

1. Seon Hwa Lee	64		-8
2. H.J. Choi	66		-6
3. Ai Miyazato	67		-5
3. Eun-Hee Ji	67		-5
3. Kristy McPherson	0		-5	thru	13
6. Soo-Yun Kang	68		-4
6. Jee Young Lee	0		-4	thru	11
8. Stacy Lewis	69		-3
8. Il Mi Chung	69		-3
8. Shanshan Feng	69		-3
8. Morgan Pressel	69		-3
8. Giulia Sergas	69		-3
8. Kelli Kuehne	0		-3	thru	6
14. Paige Mackenzie	70		-2
14. Mikaela Parmlid	70		-2
14. Gloria Park	70		-2
14. Inbee Park	70		-2
14. Rachel Hetherington	70		-2
14. Hee Young Park	70		-2
14. Jeong Jang	0		-2	thru	13
14. Sun Young Yoo	0		-2	thru	12
14. Meena Lee	0		-2	thru	10
14. Louise Friberg	0		-2	thru	9
14. Helen Alfredsson	0		-2	thru	10
14. Vicki Goetze-Ackerman	0		-2	thru	8
26. Stephanie Louden	71		-1
26. Dina Ammaccapane	71		-1
26. Jimin Jeong	71		-1
26. Linda Wessberg	71		-1
26. Nancy Scranton	71		-1
26. Yu Ping Lin	71		-1
26. Marcy Hart	71		-1
26. Alena Sharp	71		-1
26. Christina Kim	71		-1
26. Na Yeon Choi	71		-1
26. Jane Park	71		-1
26. Jill McGill	0		-1	thru	13
26. In-Kyung Kim	0		-1	thru	13
26. Jimin Kang	0		-1	thru	13
26. Karine Icher	0		-1	thru	12
26. Sandra Gal	0		-1	thru	10
26. Katherine Hull	0		-1	thru	11
26. Mi Hyun Kim	0		-1	thru	10
26. Brittany Lang	0		-1	thru	10
26. Karen Stupples	0		-1	thru	11
26. Meaghan Francella	0		-1	thru	9
26. Danielle Downey	0		-1	thru	9
26. Na On Min	0		-1	thru	9
26. Michelle McGann	0		-1	thru	7
26. Sarah Jane Kenyon	0		-1	thru	7
26. Meredith Duncan	0		-1	thru	7
26. Seo-Jae Lee	0		-1	thru	7
26. Na Ri Kim	0		-1	thru	7
26. Patricia Meunier-Lebouc	0		-1	thru	6
26. Carolina Llano	0		-1	thru	5
26. Jackie Gallagher-Smith	0		-1	thru	4
57. Kyeong Bae	72		E
57. Wendy Doolan	72		E
57. Young-A Yang	72		E
57. Beth Bader	72		E
57. Candie Kung	72		E
57. Natalie Gulbis	72		E
57. Hee-Won Han	72		E
57. Pat Hurst	72		E
57. Lorie Kane	72		E
57. Wendy Ward	72		E
57. Grace Park	72		E
57. Brittany Lincicome	72		E
57. Laura Davies	0		E	thru	13
57. Angela Park	0		E	thru	13
57. Catriona Matthew	0		E	thru	12
57. Ji Young Oh	0		E	thru	10
57. Meg Mallon	0		E	thru	11
57. Minea Blomqvist	0		E	thru	11
57. Carin Koch	0		E	thru	9
57. Stacy Prammanasudh	0		E	thru	10
57. Candy Hannemann	0		E	thru	9
57. Eunjung Yi	0		E	thru	9
57. Ashli Bunch	0		E	thru	9
57. Johanna Head	0		E	thru	8
57. Becky Lucidi	0		E	thru	7
57. Katie Futcher	0		E	thru	7
57. Su A Kim	0		E	thru	7
57. Heather Young	0		E	thru	6
57. Jennifer Rosales	0		E	thru	5
86. Moira Dunn	73	+	1
86. Sophie Giquel	73	+	1
86. Dorothy Delasin	73	+	1
86. Karin Sjodin	73	+	1
86. Liz Janangelo	73	+	1
86. Paula Creamer	73	+	1
86. Irene Cho	73	+	1
86. Momoko Ueda	73	+	1
86. Nicole Castrale	0	+	1	thru	13
86. Song-Hee Kim	0	+	1	thru	11
86. Cristie Kerr	0	+	1	thru	10
86. Anna Rawson	0	+	1	thru	9
86. Michelle Ellis	0	+	1	thru	8
86. Taylor Leon	0	+	1	thru	9
86. Eva Dahllof	0	+	1	thru	7
86. Kris Tamulis	0	+	1	thru	8
86. Birdie Kim	0	+	1	thru	6
86. Kate Golden	0	+	1	thru	6
86. Charlotte Mayorkas	0	+	1	thru	5
86. Lisa Strom	0	+	1	thru	5
86. Siew-Ai Lim	0	+	1	thru	5
86. Jamie Hullett	0	+	1	thru	5
108. Virada Nirapathpongporn	74	+	2
108. Janice Moodie	74	+	2
108. Reilley Rankin	74	+	2
108. Heather Daly-Donofrio	74	+	2
108. Mhairi McKay	74	+	2
108. Kris Tschetter	74	+	2
108. Julieta Granada	74	+	2
108. Diana D'Alessio	74	+	2
108. Jin Joo Hong	74	+	2
108. Russy Gulyanamitta	0	+	2	thru	10
108. Allison Hanna-Williams	0	+	2	thru	8
108. Erica Blasberg	0	+	2	thru	8
108. Lee Ann Walker-Cooper	0	+	2	thru	7
108. Emily Bastel	0	+	2	thru	6
108. Marisa Baena	0	+	2	thru	4
123. Simi Mehra	75	+	3
123. Ashleigh Simon	75	+	3
123. Audra Burks	75	+	3
123. Mollie Fankhauser	75	+	3
123. Young Jo	75	+	3
123. Lindsey Wright	75	+	3
123. Sherri Turner	0	+	3	thru	7
123. Becky Iverson	0	+	3	thru	6
123. a-Lucy Nunn	0	+	3	thru	4
132. Sarah Kemp	76	+	4
132. Sung Ah Yim	76	+	4
132. Becky Morgan	76	+	4
132. Jan Stephenson	0	+	4	thru	9
132. Sarah Lee	0	+	4	thru	9
137. Maggie Will	77	+	5
137. Carri Wood	77	+	5
137. Christa Johnson	0	+	5	thru	13
140. Kim Hall	78	+	6
141. Violeta Retamoza	79	+	7
141. Young Kim	79	+	7
143. Brandie Burton	80	+	8

Posted: 7/4/2008

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