Rookie leads at Rogers with 8-under 63
ROGERS — Two LPGA Tour rookies were in the forefront here Friday at Pinnacle Country Club.
South Korean Sung Hyun Park made nine birdies against a single bogey and led the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship at 8-under 63 in a rain-delayed first round. Park led by two strokes over So Yeon Ryu, Mel Reid and Ally McDonald with the group at 5-under 66 including hometown favorite Stacy Lewis and LPGA veteran Juli Inkster.
Defending champion Lydia Ko is tied at 1-under 70.
Reid had the shot of the day, a hole-in-one at No. 11, in her low round of the year, a 6-under 65.
Park made four consecutive birdies from 2-5, then compensated for her only bogey of the round with birdies at 7 and 8. She compensated for problems off the tee, hitting just eight of 13 fairways, with only 24 putts.
“My play was best with putter today, very good,” Park said after the round.
Reid was 8 eight under after 11 but bogeyed two par-fours, 13 and 16, coming in.
McDonald is playing a full schedule on the LPGA Tour after finishing second on the Symetra Tour in 2016 with $110,359. A 66 Friday was the lowest score of the year for the Mississippi State alumna, her back-nine 31 including four birdies.
“Means a lot. There are few places that my family can get to with the schedule and with my grandparents wanting to watch me,” McDonald said. “I’m happy they could all be here, and hopefully I can play well for them.”
Lewis, an NCAA champion while attending the University of Arkansas, started at No. 10 and was even par through four holes. She made three straight birdies starting at the 18th and also birdied the fifth and eighth holes for 66. Lewis seeks her 12th LPGA Tour victory but first since the 2014 Walmart here.
Arkansas graduate Gaby Lopez, Michelle Wie and Morgan Pressel are among those tied at 68. Other former or current UA golfers in the field are Alana Urriell (71), Emily Tubert (72) and Regina Plasencia (80).
The tournament continues through Sunday with Golf Channel coverage airing daily at 4 p.m.