ROGERS -- Reilley Rankin had to sit around and wait out a rain delay for almost two hours in the midst of Monday's qualifying tournament for this weekend's LPGA Wal-Mart NW Arkansas Championship.

Her performance in less-than-stellar conditions ensured she gets to hang around Pinnacle Country Club a few extra days.

Rankin overcame the long rain delay and the wet conditions that resulted from an afternoon of showers to shoot a 1-under-par 70 and nab one of two qualifier spots into the tournament.

"I played worse after [the delay]," Rankin said. "I just tried to stay patient and look at it as a challenge. I like challenges."

Ariya Jutanugarn also shot a 70 to claim her spot in the tournament field. Jutanugarn and Rankin successfully combated the weather to top the other 12 golfers in the qualifying field.

"I gave myself some decent opportunities and made a few," said Rankin, 35, who played collegiately at Georgia before turning pro in 2001. "Had a few hiccups on the [back] side, but hung in there."

University of Arkansas golfers Summar Roachell and Regina Plasencia were among the qualifying field. Roachell, a Conway native, shot a 4-over 75, falling a few strokes short in her third attempt to qualify for the tournament as an amateur.

"I'm just grateful for the opportunity to be here and play in such an awesome event here in our back yard," Roachell said. "This is my third time to play this and I can really tell that my game has grown in the three years that i've played here, just having the experience."

Plasencia shot a 77 and finished her round one group after Roachell. The two teammates shared an emotional, teary eyed embrace next to the ninth green.

"Of course I wanted it," Plasencia said. "It hurts more because I knew I could make it. I didn't hit it solid enough. And the birdie opportunities that I had were kind of far away, so I can't really hold it on my putter. Because I hit good putts. It's just that sometimes they don't go in when you hit a good a good putt."

Sports on 06/24/2014