ROGERS — Stacy Lewis wanted to win the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship almost as badly as she’s wanted any golf tournament in her life.
It simply wasn’t meant to be.
Lewis, the second-round leader at 10-under par along with Chie Arimura, So Yeon Ryu and Beatriz Recari, couldn’t overcome struggles in the sand at holes 7 and 15 and failed to come away with the win despite the encouragement from a boisterous crowd showing plenty of support for the former Arkansas Razorback.
Finishing tied for fourth at 10-under — after an even-par 71 on Sunday — was nothing to be ashamed of. But it still left Lewis feeling a bit let down after just missing out on a win in front of her own fans.
“I knew it was going to be tough because I knew there were four people tied for the lead,” Lewis said. “So it’s going to be a shootout. Probably was going to end in a playoff, which it did. I knew it was going to be close. I slept OK. I really felt good about the way I was playing. Early I hit some great putts that really would’ve, I think, gotten the momentum going the right way and I just never quite did.”
Lewis wasn’t totally dissatisfied with her play Sunday, but pointed to a mistake at the par 5 7th, which led to a double bogey, that might have been the turning point to her missing out on a win.
“I’m pretty disappointed. I had one bad swing on seven, but really, other than that I played pretty solid and had so many good shots and so many good putts today,” Lewis said. “I don’t really know going back what I would do much different.”
Cream Rises To Top
Of the nine professional golfers who finished in the Top 10 at this year’s tournament — not counting amateur Lydia Ko — eight are ranked 15th or better in the Rolex World Rankings. The one exception is Arimura, who is ranked No. 32.
Ace!
Fans at the 17th hole spent all weekend hootin’ and hollerin’, as the NW Arkansas Championship touted the signature 17th as the “loudest hole in golf.” Sunday, Ayako Uehara certainly provided one of the loudest moments for the fans gathered at No. 17, when Uehara nailed a hole-in-one playing in one of the early pairings of the day.
Uehara used a hybrid wood and slammed the tee shot straight into the cup, drawing high fives from playing partner Chella Choi as the crowd released big roars.
Lewis’ Caddy Joins In On Fun
Lewis had a fun bet with her caddy, Travis Wilson, during Saturday’s second round at the NW Arkansas Championship. If Lewis played well enough to earn a spot in the final pairing of Sunday’s final round, she promised a special surprise for the fans at the 17th hole.
Lewis kept her surprise a secret, saying after her round Saturday it was a fun bet with her caddy that she was excited about winning. Turns out the bet was to have Wilson, an Ohio State fan, wear an Arkansas Hog hat on the 17th green — the signature hole at the NW Arkansas Championship — while Lewis played her final round.
Wilson obliged, putting on the Hog hat.