Meadow just one off the pace after opening 65 in Arkansas
Stephanie Meadow
Stephanie Meadow made an eagle and five birdies in bogey-free 65 and lie just one shot off the pace in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club.
As Leona Maguire birdied the last to open with a level par 71 that left her tied for 99th behind Anna Nordqvist, Jackie Stoelting and Esther Lee, Meadow continued her promising run of form this season with an impressive, opening round.
She hit all 13 fairways and missed just two greens in regulation, making birdie at the 17th and eagle at the 18th to turn in three-under before coming home in 33 with further birdies at the second, fifth, ninth.
“I hit two really good shots,” the Galgorm Castle touring professional said of her mid-round eagle. “Hit a great drive and 5-wood to like four feet to make eagle. One of the easiest eagles I've ever made for sure.
“Just really nice to get that going in the middle of the round. That was my ninth hole, so good momentum going into the back.
“I had a lot of wedges today, so I'm just going to go to the range and hone that in a little bit. I think that's going to be really important. Obviously it's kind of a birdiefest out here, so I just need to be on pointe in putting, too.”
She misses the fans at LPGA Tour events but with fiance Kyle in tow, she’s staying relaxed off the course.
“You know, it's the event most I've noticed not having fans. When we walk up to 17 and there is like nobody there, kind of feels like a ghost town a little bit,” she said. “So definitely missing them. But there are a few people in their community sitting in their yard trying to cheer us on from a distance, which is really nice they're here to support us.
“I have an Airbnb and we're going to hang out and cook some food with my fiance, Kyle, and just hang out and take a nice cold shower.
“I mean, that's always a tough thing to be at the end of the day. The greens are going to be bumpy no matter where we are. They'll definitely be smoother tomorrow morning. I made my fair share of putts out there today, so I'm pretty happy.”
Lee is looking to make her first cut as an LPGA Tour Member this week, and said she enjoyed her first competitive round at Pinnacle Country Club.
“It was just a really comfortable round,” Lee said. “On 8, so my 17th hole, I made probably like a 40-footer for birdie downhill. That was probably the longest putt I made today. I definitely left some out there. I was hitting the ball really well. My approach shots were really good today. So feels good.
Nordqvist hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation on Friday en route to a bogey-free 64, and she said she was pleased with her ball-striking during the opening round.
“I feel like I played really solid today,” Nordqvist said. “Got off to a great start with two birdies. Just kept hitting it close, so I had really close calls for birdie. So I think after ten holes I had six really close birdie putts and I made them all, which was good.”
The reigning CME Group Tour Championship winner Kim is making her return to the LPGA Tour this week after spending the last few months in her home country of the Republic of Korea. Tour fans last saw Kim in January as she finished in the top-10 at both the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions and the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio. On Friday she said she felt good about her return in Northwest Arkansas as she carded a bogey-free 65.
“I play quite solid today and I feel great and striking the ball pretty well, so I'm just same as today,” said Kim. “I play just relax, play like relax, and have fun.”
Former World No. 1 Stacy Lewis leads the pack of seven University of Arkansas Razorbacks following the first round after a 5-under 66. While Lewis missed the fans out at Pinnacle Country Club on Friday, she said after her round she was just grateful for another chance to play one of her favorite stops on Tour.
“Just a huge thank you to Walmart and P&G for allowing us to come here, and the state of Arkansas,” Lewis said. “I'm sure there were a lot of people behind the scenes that okayed all this. We're so appreciative of the opportunity. To get women's sports playing and on women's sports on TV right now is what we need to do, so it's just thank you.”
