World #1 Lewis wins NW Arkansas Championship
Relentless Lewis extends lead at head of world rankings
Picture: Getty Images
Mizuno’s world #1 Stacy Lewis displayed her toughness once again – shooting a 6-under 65 to come from behind and win the NW Arkansas Championship.
Lewis earned $300,000 for her third LPGA Tour victory of the year, but more importantly the 11-time winner earned a welcomed sigh of relief in front of a college-like atmosphere full of fans cheering for the former four-time All-American at Arkansas.
“When I first came here to school, I was extremely shy, and I think I’ve definitely grown out of that over the years,” Lewis said. “… I’ve just found that the more I interact with fans, it makes me more relaxed, and enjoying it more is what I’m trying to do.”
The top-ranked and native Texan secured the one-stroke win with a seven-foot birdie putt on the final hole at Pinnacle Country Club. The putt capped a stretch of three birdies over her final four holes, helping the two-time major winner finish at 12-under 201 — one shot ahead of 17-year-old Lydia Ko, Cristie Kerr and Angela Stanford.
Lewis’ final putt resulted in a huge ovation from the pro-Arkansas gallery as well as a fist pump and sigh of relief from the local favorite. Her after-party inside Pinnacle Country Club included a hug from Arkansas women’s golf coach Shauna Estes-Taylor, among others, and chants of “Stacy’s No. 1.”
“This place just means so much to me,” Lewis said. “So, to win here, it’s just crazy how far I’ve come. … It’s just really, really special to win here.”
Lewis played Mizuno’s Grain Flow Forged JPX825pro irons and MP T-Series wedges. Lewis also won the Shoprite Classic this month as well as the North Texas Shootout in May.