Lopez goes low, leads field first day at NWA Championship

ROGERS — Arkansas women’s golfers played the day 12-under paced by an 8-under 63 by Gabriela Lopez who leads the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G at Pinnacle Country Club on Friday.

Lopez, a 2016 graduate of the Razorback women’s golf program, came out of the gates on fire with six birdies in her first eight holes. She finished the round without a bogey getting birdies on holes 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 14.

Lopez has a one-shot lead with seven players tied for second place at 7-under.

#ProHog Stacy Lewis was also near the top of the leaderboard finishing the day T-15th with a 5-under 66. The mom-to-be had birdies on holes 5, 10, 11, 14, 16, and 17 with one bogey on No. 15 after she over ran her put on the par-3 island green.

Razorback senior-to-be Dylan Kim rallied late finishing 1-under with a 70. Kim, who gained entry via the Monday qualifier, turned 1-over but birdied Nos. 13 and 18 to finish T-79 after first round action.

Rising senior Maria Fassi, playing on a sponsor’s exemption, was solid through the first 13 holes and was even with five holes remaining. Fassi ran into trouble with bogeys on 14, 15 and 17 but finished strong with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole.

Play continues on Saturday with Fassi out of the gates at 9:09 a.m. Lopez is next at 9:20 a.m. followed by Kim at 9:31 a.m. Lewis has an afternoon tie time at 1:47 p.m. with all four players starting from No. 10.