ROGERS -- As an LPGA Tour rookie, Cheyenne Woods is still learning all of the intricacies that go with being a professional golfer.
That includes what she does with her time leading up to a tournament as well as the actual weekend competition against the likes of defending Northwest Arkansas Championship winner Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) and world No. 1 Inbee Park.
Woods took part in Wednesday's pro-am round at Pinnacle Country Club with a foursome representing General Mills, and she will be hard pressed to find a more eventful back nine than what she encountered during the pro-am.
On the par-5, 14th, two of her playing partners hit their third shots thin over the water and up the hill. One shot went onto the road behind the green, and another struck one of six patrons in the knee before bounding away.
"You guys OK back there?" Woods asked as she approached the only fans around the hole, her ball nestled close to the flag.
Woods stuck her tee shot to within 3 feet on the par-3 15th, which prompted one of her amateur partners to shout, "That's our pro!" after the easy birdie attempt was all but guaranteed.
After her playing partners missed the green with their 110-yard approach shots at the par-4 16th, another playing partner reminded Woods that "the green's wide-open." Woods promptly stuck a wedge to within 12 feet.
"It's more fun chatting with her than actually trying to pick up any tips because she is really engaging," amateur partner Mike Fandrich said of Woods. "I played last year with Stacy Lewis, and that turned out well. Maybe Cheyenne can win it this year."
Woods and her General Mills partners finished the morning pro-am at 11 under. Danielle Kang's group won at 18 under, while Michelle Wie and the other General Mills group were 13 under.
Abbreviations tricky
Kraig Kann, the LPGA's chief communications officer and a University of Missouri alumnus, didn't get off to the best start with a Twitter message Wednesday, although he meant well.
Kann tweeted: "So good to be at @NWAChampionship in Rogers, AK ... big event and another chance to involve young kids. #LPGASeeWhy."
"AK" is the postal abbreviation for Alaska, not Arkansas, but at least Kann owned up to his social media mistake when he caught up with former Arkansas All-American Stacy Lewis before her news conference later in the afternoon. The two had a good laugh during their quick private conversation.
Kann had a little fun with it in a follow-up tweet.
"Terrible "typo" by me! Trying to get us a tourney in Alaska! Anchorage LPGA Classic or Juneau LPGA Shoot-out :))."
They really like her
Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) said coming back to Pinnacle Country Club as the defending champion feels a little different this year, and apparently some of her friends and fellow players are letting her know they've seen plenty of changes in her at the course.
"Everybody's kind of giving me a hard time because there's even more pictures of me everywhere, only because I'm here defending," Lewis said. "It's different, but it's in a good way."
She's got game, too
This will be the third year University of Arkansas senior Gaby Lopez has played in the Northwest Arkansas Championship. She missed the cut in 2013 and finished in a tie for 57th last year.
Lopez finished second in the NCAA Women's Tournament in May at Bradenton, Fla., one stroke behind Alabama's Emma Talley. Four days later, she qualified for the U.S. Women's Open.
Lopez, who earned first-team All-SEC recognition in 2014 and 2015 and was a first-team All-American this year, said she feels good about her game.
"It is where it needs to be," Lopez said. "I'm really confident about my ball striking, my putting is getting so well, and my short game is impressive right now."
Sports on 06/25/2015