ROGERS -- Juli Inkster is running on fumes, but that didn't slow her down too much Saturday at the Wal-Mart NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club.
Key hole
NO. 13
PAR 4, 413 YARDS
The hole played the hardest in Friday’s opening round. Co-leaders Lydia Ko and Morgan Pressel each made birdie here Saturday on their way to strong back nines. Jing Yan and Candie Kung weren’t as fortunate, as each made bogey and sit two shots behind the co-leaders in a tie for third place with Alena Sharp.
— Frankie Frisco
The 56-year-old LPGA veteran fired a second-round 67, getting her to 5-under for the tournament and safely within the cut line for today's final round.
She may be well behind the leaders, but that hasn't put a damper on her last two weeks, which started at the Women's PGA Championship in Seattle and included work as a broadcaster for FOX and a visit with President Barack Obama as the captain of the winning U.S. Solheim Cup team.
"I took the red-eye to the men's U.S. Open and worked all week there, then I flew to the White House," Inkster said. "I didn't get any practice in the last week, so I'm pleased with the way I'm playing."
Inkster, a World Golf Hall of Famer with 31 career wins, has been splitting her time between the course and the television booth since 2014, when she became a reporter for the Golf Channel.
She joined FOX Sports last year and was an on-course analyst during last weekend's U.S. Open.
"Being a mom, I'm used to balancing things," Inkster said. "You just have to stay focused on what you're doing at that moment. It's a lot of work. ... I'm ready to go home."
Her schedule has been so busy that she barely had any time to acknowledge her birthday Friday.
"You know what, I went to Jimmy John's last night," Inkster said. "Is that a celebration? When you're 56, you don't celebrate much."
Former Hogs Make Cut
It took a strong back nine, but Stacy Lewis and Gaby Lopez each made the cut and will be playing today.
Lewis, the No. 10 player in the world, bogeyed her first hole of the day to drop to 3-under and stayed there with 10 straight pars. She birdied Nos. 12 and 15, finishing at 5-under.
"I just wanted to play on Sunday, so I knew I needed to step it up on the back nine," Lewis said. "They are shooting historic numbers, and I know 1-under's just not going to cut it."
Lopez was even closer to missing the cut. The tour rookie hit the stick on No. 11, and it ricocheted into a hazard, leading to a double bogey that dropped her to even par.
A birdie on No. 15 got her to minus-1, but she still needed to make a 45-foot eagle putt on No. 18 to sneak inside the 3-under cut line.
"I knew what I needed to do, but at the same time, I gave myself every opportunity I could," Lopez said. "I was just burning every edge of the hole, and I needed to stay patient. It actually paid off on the last hole."
Up Next for Amateur Hogs
A record three current Razorbacks played in this weekend's tournament, with Maria Fassi earning a sponsor's exemption and Regina Plasencia and Alana Uriell qualifying Monday, but all three missed the cut.
The lowest scorer was Fassi, who used a 2-under 69 Saturday to get to even par. The UA rising-sophomore said she would compete in the Canadian and U.S. Amateur Championships later this summer.
Plasencia finished 1-over and will take a couple weeks off before beginning LPGA qualifying school in August. The time off will be invaluable after she played nearly 100 holes over the last seven days.
"The main thing I learned is that rest is important," Plasencia said. "Today I really felt, especially on the last five or six holes, that I was tired. My legs weren't responding."
Although Uriell had the worst score among the group, she had the best chance of making the cut. She made the turn at 1-under Saturday, two shots off the cut line, but imploded on the front nine.
A triple bogey on No. 2 and two bogeys in the final three holes gave her a 3-over for the tournament.
"I got a little bit nervous, I think," Uriell said. "My swing kind of started to deteriorate at that point. It was kind of thoughtless mistakes that cost me the whole thing."
Uriell will return to the course July 11, when she competes in a U.S. Amateur qualifier in Vista Valley, Calif., which is just down the road from her home in Carlsbad, Calif.
Hog Hat
Before their post-round interview, Golf Channel personality and former Arkansas golfer Lisa Cornwell gave world No. 1 and co-leader Lydia Ko a piece of Razorback gear to wear today.
"I'm going to wear the Hog hat," Ko said. "Hopefully the crowds will be as excited as I will be, and I'll try to practice the 'Woo Pig Sooie.' It's cool to get in the spirit."
Ko is tied with Morgan Pressel for the lead at 14-under.
Sports on 06/26/2016