ROGERS — Veronica Felibert did not know she would be in the field for this week’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship until late Sunday afternoon.
She made the most of her late entry when she shot a 6-under 65 on Friday during the first round at Pinnacle Country Club.
The LPGA Tour rookie from Venezuela came in on Sunday from Canada expecting to play her way into the tournament in the Monday qualifier. But she earned an alternate spot instead, securing a spot in the tournament field.
On Friday, she birdied four of her first seven holes, sandwiched around a bogey at No. 13. She just missed a birdie putt on No. 9 that would have put her at 7-under.
“I think I was hitting the ball pretty solid,” Felibert said. “Just hitting fairways and greens.”
Felibert had just 27 putts in the round and said she missed just one green.
The former Southern California golfer has played just a handful of LPGA events this year and is ranked No. 149 on the money list. She’s missed the cut in her last three events, but tied for 21st at the Mobile Bay Classic in April.
She said she will enjoy the view from the top of the leaderboard heading into today’s second round.
“It’s my dream to be on top all the time,” Felibert said. “It’s my rookie season. As long as I’m enjoying it, I will be happy.”
New Caddy For Tubert
University of Arkansas junior-to-be Emily Tubert is playing in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship for a second straight year on a sponsor’s exemption. One difference from the 2011 tournament for Tubert, however, will be her caddy.
Last year, Arkansas women’s golf coach Shauna Estes-Taylor caddied for Tubert and helped guide her top Razorback to a 48th-place finish at Pinnacle Country Club. But because of NCAA rules which limit coaches’ ability to caddy for players in the offseason, Estes-Taylor is not allowed to return to Tubert’s bag in 2012.
“The only thing coaches are allowed to caddy for in the summer is national events,” Estes-Taylor said. “If it was the U.S. Open or a U.S. Amateur, I could do it.
“Last year when it was in September we had some free days there where I could caddy.”
Emily Podzielinski, another junior-to-be on the Arkansas golf team, has replaced Estes-Taylor as Tubert’s caddy this weekend.
Heat Relief
Fans at this weekend’s tournament can expect sweltering temperatures at or near triple-digits.
Spectators will be provided free bottled water on the golf course, and volunteers and tournament staff will be driving around all three days to distribute bottled water. Volunteers and fans will also have chilled towels readily available in coolers positioned on both the front and back-nine of the course.
In addition, special shade zones will be set up across the golf course where fans can get a brief reprieve from the heat.