ROGERS -- Maria Fassi is making her second trip to Northwest Arkansas this week but the Pachuca Hidalgo, Mexico, golfer will soon call the area home.

For at least a few years anyway.

Fassi is competing in the American Junior Golf Association KPMG Stacy Lewis Open at the Lost Springs Golf and Athletic Club this week. But a day before beginning play on Tuesday, Fassi committed to play golf at Arkansas.

Fassi is ranked No. 56 in the Polo Golf World Girls Rankings and and she opened this year's tournament with a 1-over 73, which is two strokes behind leader Chloe Horton of Miami, Fla.

Fassi, who finished tied for sixth at the Lewis Open last summer, will enroll at Arkansas in the fall of 2016.

"I committed to the University of Arkansas, so I am going to be around here for a while," Fassi said. "I just love the program at Arkansas, and I just love the coaches. They have great golf facilities, and it is just amazing here. I want to play college golf and hopefully then turn pro."

The Lewis Open is the only AJGA event Fassi will play in this summer and having the this week's LPGA Walmart NW Arkansas Championship a few miles down the road from Lost Springs is a big draw. Fassi is friends with Arkansas junior golfer Gabriela Lopez, who received a sponsors exemption into the NW Arkansas Championship.

"I have a close friend playing, and it is nice to see her play," Fassi said. "This course (Lost Springs) is in great shape. Last year was really good, but this year it is even better. I love the people in Rogers, they are very nice and kind. Hopefully, I can do better than last year."

Fassi is scheduled to play in the Canadian Women's Amateur and she hopes to qualify for the U.S. Women's Amateur during what will be a busy summer of golf.

"I enjoy traveling, playing different course and meeting people," Fassi said.

Cooper Bryant of Houston, Texas, Chase Furey of Newport Beach, Calif., and Kyler Tate of Winter Garden, Fla., are atop the boys standings after finishing at 4-under 68.

Tate got off to a hot start with birdies on three of his first four holes and he was 4-under after seven holes. Tate only got to play the front side during Monday's practice round and he finished the back side Tuesday at even par. Tate is the highest ranked boys player in the field at No. 98 in the Polo Golf World Rankings.

"I hit a lot of greens and I was pretty much around 10 feet for birdie," Tate said. "I made a lot of putts. I had 13 or 14 putts on the front side, which is pretty good."

Tyler See fired a 2-under 70 and is in fourth-place heading to today's second round. See played the back nine first and turned at even par before recording birdies on two of the first three holes on the front side. Fayetteville's Fisher Vollendorf is among a large group of golfers at 1-over 73 while Shiloh Christian rising sophomore Kyle Robinson is at 2-over 74.

Sports on 06/25/2014