LPGA NW Arkansas Championship report

Ex-Hog shoots 68 for starters

LPGA golfer Gaby Lopez, a former Arkansas Razorback, lines up a putt on the ninth green Friday during the fi rst round of the Wal-Mart LPGA NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers. Lopez shot a 3-under-par 68, leaving her six shots off the lead.
LPGA golfer Gaby Lopez, a former Arkansas Razorback, lines up a putt on the ninth green Friday during the fi rst round of the Wal-Mart LPGA NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers. Lopez shot a 3-under-par 68, leaving her six shots off the lead.

ROGERS -- While most eyes were on the group ahead of her, Gaby Lopez turned in a solid first round Friday at the Wal-Mart NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club.

Lopez, a former Arkansas Razorback in her first season on the LPGA Tour, finished with a 3-under-par 68 while playing behind a group that included fan-favorite and 2014 tournament winner Stacy Lewis and world No. 1 Lydia Ko.

Her parents, brother and coach were among a small gallery that saw Lopez, who started her day on the back nine, birdie her first hole and get to 4-under through 10 holes.

"It's always good to start with a birdie and I made a couple down the stretch on the [back)] nine," Lopez said. "It's amazing to have my family here ... and the rest of the community brings the best out of my game."

It was mostly a par-filled day, but Lopez, one of five current or former Arkansas women's golfers in the field, did bogey No. 6 to go with four birdies.

The highlight of her round came on No. 15, when she made a 75-foot birdie putt after her tee shot left her on the edge of the green.

"I haven't made a bomb since I was in Australia," Lopez said. "That's one of those putts that you just look into the hole. I hit it, and it just went 25 paces into the hole."

Although it is Lopez's first time playing at Pinnacle Country Club as a professional, she isn't a stranger to the course.

She made the cut as an amateur the past two years at the tournament, finishing tied for 57th in 2014 and tied for 29th in 2015. Lopez missed the cut in 2013.

"I'm just sticking to my game plan," Lopez said. "I know I can't control the result. I can't control what Lydia does, what other players do, so it's just a matter of doing what I can."

Happy Birthday, Juli

Before speaking to reporters following her first round Friday, Morgan Pressel ran across the putting green to hug and wish Juli Inkster a happy 56th birthday.

Pressel, who fired a 6-under 65 on Friday, also used the opportunity to take a jab at the 33-year LPGA veteran.

"She asked what I shot and I said I'm getting close to shooting your age," Pressel said, laughing. "It won't be too long before she shoots her age, I imagine."

Inkster teed off about an hour later and finished with a 1-under 70.

Ace!

The first hole-in-one of the tournament came off the club of Japan's Haru Nomura, who shot a 3-under 68 Friday.

She used a 9-iron to ace the 190-yard, No. 11 hole. But she said she didn't know it went in until she got on the green and couldn't find her ball.

"My ball dropped and I couldn't see it," Nomura said. "[There was] no clapping, nothing. I thought it was in the bunker."

Thai Tandem

Two golfers from Thailand turned in their best rounds of the year Friday.

Playing in the same group, P.K. Kongkraphan and Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras shot 65 and 66, respectively, putting them in unfamiliar territory. Between them, they have made the cut in just nine of their 28 events this year.

Kongraphan came into the tournament at No. 237 in the Rolex World Rankings, while Thanapolboonyaras was No. 479.

Kongraphan is tied for third after the first round, and Thanapolboonyaras is tied for 16th. They tee off at 12:52 p.m. today on No. 1.

Tough day

Na Yeon Choi has posted several top-10 finishes at the NW Arkansas Championship, including last year's victory. But barring a huge rally today, she is not likely to make the cut this year after shooting a 4-over 75 on Friday.

It was just as brutal for two-time champion Yani Tseng, who also shot a 4-over 75 on Friday.

Sports on 06/25/2016

Upcoming Events