Round 3 - Ryu captures fifth title in Arkansas

June 25, 2017

So Yeon Ryu has won the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G, her fifth LPGA Tour title, and ascends to No.1 in the Rolex Rankings for the first time.

“Dreams come true! I always dreamed about it. I cannot believe it. I didn't expect two good things coming together,” Ryu said reacting to the news. “First of all, I really want to appreciate everyone who has been supportive of me, to make me the No. 1 player in the world. That's finally made my dream. This is going to my first week as the No. 1 player in the world. I know it's going to be a lot of pressure and I know I can handle a lot of different things.”

With the victory, So Yeon Ryu became the first multiple winner of the 2017 season, joining her win at the ANA Inspiration; 15 players had previously won titles in 2017, which ties 1991 for the longest stretch to begin a season in LPGA history.

“I'm glad to be a multiple winner, and also this is not the first time I've won more than once in a year, so hopefully many more to come,” she said after her round.

Ryu’s three-day total of 18-under 195 makes her the seventh player to break a tournament scoring record in 2017.

Ryu’s second-round 61 was the lowest 18-hole round in Walmart NWA history, breaking the previous mark of 62 (Ayako Uehara, 2016; Lydia Ko, 2016; Angela Park, 2012; Jane Park, 2012)

Ryu also set the tournament 36-hole record at 126; the previous record of 128 was set by Ko and Morgan Pressel in 2016

Ryu’s second-round 61 tied her career-low round, which she shot at the 2012 Australian Ladies Masters; her previous LPGA low was a 62 at the 2012 Jamie Farr Toledo Classic, which she went on to win.

Ryu also set an LPGA career-low with her 36-hole score of 126; her previous low score was a 129 at the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, which she also went on to win.

Click here for full scores & prize money.

A fun week for Wie

Michelle Wie continued her strong play on Sunday, carding a 7-under 64 and notching her fifth top-10 finish of 2017. Wie, who is looking for her first victory since taking the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open title, credited one simple factor for her success - fun.

“I had fun this week,” said Wie, who has finished in the top-four in her last three events. “Arkansas has a lot of great memories for me. I’ve had a lot of low rounds here, so it was nice to bank off of that, and, you know, it was a fun week.

“I think I’m just having a lot of fun out there, and I play my best golf when I’m having fun, and for me that’s a really important component.”

USA Solheim Cup update

Eight Americans earned Solheim Cup points this week, led by Michelle Wie and Stacy Lewis, who tied for fourth.

With the solid finish, Wie moves from eighth in the standings into seventh ahead of next week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, where Solheim Cup points are doubled. There are now only six events and three majors left before the teams are decided following the Ricoh Women’s British Open.

The Solheim Cup combines the tradition and prestige of the game of golf with passion for one’s country. This biennial, trans-Atlantic team match-play competition features the best U.S.-born players from the LPGA Tour and the best European members from the Ladies European Tour. This year’s Solheim Cup will take place from Aug. 14-20 at Des Moines Golf and Country Club in Iowa.

Ace for Alex

Marina Alex recorded the shot of the day with a hole-in-one on the par-3 sixth hole.

“It was a 6 iron from 169, and the wind was going kind of right to left,” Alex explained. “So we kinda just went straight at the pin, and I was trying to hit a little cut against the wind. It was tucked on the right. And it landed just perfect on the green. It probably flew, like, I don’t know, 160, and then it rolled in. It was awesome.“

The ace was the second of the season for Alex and the fourth of her career. Alex was congratulated by her friends on social media, including Michelle Wie, who tweeted that drinks will be on Marina tonight.

“I don’t know,” Alex said of her plans to celebrate. “We’re both going to still be here tonight, so who knows, it could get wild.”

Notable

Mina Harigae shot a career-low 9-under 62 on Sunday; her previous best was a 64 at the 2013 Manulife Financial LPGA Classic

Quotable

“As tired as I am this week, it’s so much fun. There’s no place like this on Tour. The way the fans support us and just here to watch the golf. The fans were unbelievable today for me and also for So Yeon, they were cheering her on as well. I just love this week. I wish we could have more of these.”
- Stacy Lewis, on the fans and atmosphere during the Walmart NWA Championship

“This tournament is one of my favorite tournaments. One day I really want to win this tournament. But she was so far ahead, I just came out here, tried to do my best. I’m hitting it really good and making a lot of putts.”
- Amy Yang, who shot a 7-under 64 on Sunday to finish tied for second

Round 2 - So Yeon Ryu ties career-low round to take lead in Walmart

June 24, 2017

So Yeon Ryu has taken the lead of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G with a second 10-under par 61.

“It was so much fun,” Ryu said after her round.  “I made a really long putt at 8, 17, and then I boost up and the shot was getting better and better. At the back nine, I was able to make some more short birdies, and then pretty much made all of them. So happy with my round today.” 

Ryu took a break from competition for the past two weeks following the after missing the cut for the first time since the 2014 at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. Ryu worked with Ian Baker-Finch on her short game, her putting and confidence.

“I played really well the beginning of this year, then I didn't really play well at the last championship, kind of lost confidence a little bit,” Ryu said about her missed cut. “But I think it was great to have two weeks off, because when you have two weeks off you totally forget about how you played the last few tournaments.”

So Yeon Ryu - Rewriting the record books

So Yeon Ryu’s 61 is the lowest 18-hole round in Walmart NWA history, breaking the previous mark of 62 (Ayako Uehara, 2016; Lydia Ko, 2016; Angela Park, 2012; Jane Park, 2012)

Ryu also set the tournament 36-hole record at 126; the previous record of 128 was set by Ko and Morgan Pressel in 2016

Ryu’s 61 ties her career-low round, which she shot at the 2012 Australian Ladies Masters; her previous LPGA low was a 62 at the 2012 Jamie Farr Toledo Classic, which she went on to win

Ryu also set an LPGA career-low with her 36-hole score of 126; her previous low score was a 129 at the 2014 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open, which she also went on to win

If Ryu can take the victory, she would become the first multiple winner of the 2017 season, joining her win at the ANA Inspiration; 15 players have won titles in 2017, which ties 1991 for the longest stretch to begin a season in LPGA history

Through 36 holes, Ryu holds a five-stroke lead over Stacy Lewis and Moriya Jutanugarn; the largest victory margin of 2017 is six strokes, set by Mirim Lee at the Kia Classic

Ryu is within striking distance of the tournament’s 54-hole scoring record of 17-under 196, set by Lydia Ko in 2016. Ryu needs a 2-under 70 on Sunday to match that mark and at least a 3-under 69 to become the seventh player to break a tournament record in 2017.

Lewis continues to thrill Razorback fans

As a graduate of the University of Arkansas, Stacy Lewis always thrills the fans at the Walmart NWA and loves calling the Hogs. She gave her fans quite the thrill at No. 18, when her birdie putt did a slow roll around the hole and eventually dropped for her 6-under 65 and a tie for second.

“It was a 50/50 putt, and I think the crowds blew it in there on the backside,” said Lewis with a laugh. She also charged the crowd at the rowdy No. 17 – nicknamed the loudest hole on Tour – when she knocked in a 20-footer for birdie.

“When that putt went in, it was awesome,” said Lewis, who took the title here in 2014, her last victory on Tour. “That’s kinda why you play, for those moments. I’m just glad I could give the fans a birdie and give ‘em something to cheer for.”

Ashok on the rise

Aditi Ashok made the most of moving day, firing a second-round 64 to jump from T53 into a tie for fifth.

“Obviously, I feel good,” said Ashok, who joins Simi Mehra as the only Indian women who hold LPGA Tour cards. “I knew yesterday with the wind the morning half is the scoring half, so I knew if I got out early and hit some good shots, I would be able to make some birdies. I dropped one shot, but I hold enough putts to have a good score so I’m happy”

The rookie from Bangalore, India, hopes that her experiences at the 2016 Summer Olympics and winning on the Ladies European Tour (LET) will serve her well in tomorrow’s final round.

“The Olympics was sort of halfway into my rookie year on the LET, but it was a huge experience,” said Ashok, who finished 41st at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. “I was in the top three after the first few days, but I didn’t finish that well. But still just being in an event that big, getting to play with some of the best players in the world was pretty good, and I sort of figured out where my game was at and then I worked hard ... I won a couple of events on LET, which was a good sign, and then I made it through Q school, and now I’m here.”

Ashok is looking to improve upon her best LPGA finish of T32, which she earned at the Meijer LPGA Classic last week.

“I had a great season last year but obviously the LPGA is where the best play,” said Ashok, “so I’m just excited to be in this position, and I’m just going to try to make the most of it and give my best.“

Reunited and it feels so good

Inbee Park, who took the Walmart NW Arkansas title in 2013, finds herself in the hunt yet again this year at Pinnacle C.C. Despite an uncharacteristic triple bogey on the card, Park fired a second-round 65 to climb into a tie for fifth.

“I hit one bad shot today that ended up as triple bogey since I got embedded in the lie in the bunker,” Park explained. “I hit it all right but it rolled too much and ran into the hazard, and after that I made 8 birdies, so I feel like I made a good come back. I wish triple bogey wasn’t there but I think it was still a very good round.”

Park tried out a new putter in Friday’s first round, but quickly found the change not exactly to her liking.

“My ball striking has been very consistent this year, just my putter wasn’t working as well,” Park said. “I took a new putter out yesterday and didn’t like it so changed back to the old putter. Now it’s started to roll in today. So yeah, I’m excited to be back with my old putter and, yeah, looking forward to tomorrow.”

Quick hits

• This is 2017 LPGA rookie Aditi Ashok’s 11th career start; her best finish is T32 at last week’s Meijer LPGA Classic
• Ashok joined the LPGA Tour after spending the 2016 season on the Ladies European Tour, where she earned victories at the Qatar Ladies Open and the Hero Women’s Indian Open
• Moriya Jutanugarn is playing in her fifth Walmart NWA, with a best finish of T4 in 2016
• Jutanugarn is looking for her first LPGA victory; she has finished fourth three times, including at this tournament in 2016
• Amy Yang, who is in solo fourth, is playing in her ninth Walmart NWA; she lost in a playoff to Yani Tseng in 2011

Quotable

“She made it look easy out there. Nothing special – just birdied every hole almost!”
- Michelle Wie, on playing with So Yeon Ryu and watching her shoot a 10-under 61

“I know this golf course is gettable, but that’s playing some really great golf. So there was a little bit of pressure to go shoot a low number, and I still feel like I did that.”
- Stacy Lewis, on So Yeon Ryu

Round 1 - Sung Hyun Park leading ahead of tight pack in Arkansas

June 23, 2017

Rookie Sung Hyun Park has taken the lead in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G with an 8-under 63, two ahead of So Yeon Ryu, Mel Reid and Ally McDonald. This group finished their round just before severe weather moved through the area and play was suspended for 45 minutes. Play resumed at 3:15 p.m. local time.

Park played six birdies in a row on the front 9, and three more on the back but only managed to hit 13 fairways she made up with 24 putts.

“My play was best with putter today, very good,” Park said after her round.

Parl has been consistent all season and only missed the cut once putting her in the lead for the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year standings.

Ryu right in contention thanks to Major inspiration

So Yeon Ryu arrived in Arkansas with a fresh outlook and great confidence after a two-week break from the LPGA Tour. Her first-round 65 came courtesy of her improved putting stroke, something on which she focused with her coach Cameron McCormick during her time off. The two-time major champion also drew inspiration from two other major winners, this time from the PGA Tour.

“I went to see Ian Baker-Finch and he told me – he actually make me really comfortable to do putting, like he gave me a lot of confidence like just trust yourself,” said Ryu, who is based in Dallas, Texas, near McCormick. “Also, I played with Nick Price, which it was really a pleasure to play with him. He also told me like your putting stroke is so smooth and you’re really great, so after that I got extra confidence. So I would like to say thank you to all three gentlemen.”

Ace propels Reid

Mel Reid used an ace on the par-3 11th, the seventh of her career, to post an opening-round 6-under 65.

“As soon as I hit it I thought, oh, it’s got a chance,” said Reid with a smile. “It just pitched a little longer than we thought. But yeah, I mean, a hole in one, I hit a good shot into there. I just hit a little 9-iron, so I think it was 135. I just tried to play a 130 shot and it pitched about seven behind it and came back.”

The hole-in-one pushed Reid to 8 under through 11 holes before she gave a pair back coming in and finished in a tie for second at 6-under 65.

“I actually felt like I’ve not been swinging it very well this week,” Reid explained. “I did a really hard session yesterday, just wasn’t comfortable at all. So my coach, Kev, we kind of had a chat last night and he just said your mindset’s a choice. He said you’ve just got to relax. As long as I relax. Like my ball doesn’t really go that far offline, it’s just when I get tense. So that was literally the main focus today and it worked out all right.”

A good finish at Pinnacle would strengthen Reid’s chances of playing on her third European Solheim Cup Team. She currently sits third on the Ladies European Tour Solheim Cup points standings, but comes into this week having missed her last three consecutive cuts. Reid, a native of England, represented Europe at the 2011 and 2015 Solheim Cups.

Lewis off to a good start

Local favorite and 2014 NWA champion Stacy Lewis got off to a good start on Thursday, carding six birdies and one bogey to finish at 5-under 66. Starting on No. 10, Lewis said she actually started off flat, and didn’t pick up momentum until she made the turn.

“(No.) 18 is definitely a birdie-able hole, with the tee being up this year, and I think the putts on 1 and 2 are what calmed me down,” said Lewis, a 2008 graduate of the University of Arkansas. “And I told myself you’re going to be okay today and you can make some putts, and got into a good ball-striking rhythm after that.”

Lewis is aiming for her first LPGA victory since taking the title here in 2014.

Mo makes long-awaited donation

Last night, Moriya Jutanugarn was among more than 1,500 people to donate hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths; today she fired an opening-round 66 to sit in a tie for fifth.

“I’ve been really want to donate my hair since last year, when it doesn’t get long enough, so I think this year was a good chance,” Jutanugarn said. “I really happy to be, you know, one part of (this). I can help people, and they can use my hair for something, which is very nice.”

Pantene Beautiful Lengths creates real-hair wigs for women in the community who are battling cancer and provides them to the patients for free. Donors must have at least 8 inches of untreated hair to cut to be eligible to donate. This year, Jutanugarn and Tiffany Joh were the LPGA players who donated their hair to the cause.

Quotable

“Why would I prepare any different from a tournament that I play well at versus a major? It’s still a golf ball, a little hole and some golf clubs. If you can have that attitude, I think, for me, that is what works best for me.” - Gerina Piller, on her preparation for majors; the LPGA has three majors in the next six weeks

Quick hits

• Rookie Sung Hyun Park has never missed the cut in her 19 career LPGA tournaments, with a scoring average of 69.45
• Mel Reid’s first-round 66 is tied for the lowest round of her LPGA career; she previously returned that score at the 2017 Volunteers of America Texas Shootout presented by JTBC and the 2010 Evian Ladies Masters
• Ally McDonald’s first-round 65 is the lowest round of her LPGA career, besting the 67s she shot in the first and second rounds of this year’s Bank of Hope Founders Cup
• For the second consecutive year, So Yeon Ryu shot a 6-under 65 in the opening round at Pinnacle C.C.
• Park, Reid and McDonald are making their Walmart NWA debuts, while Ryu has made the cut in all five previous appearances (2012-16)
• Felicity Johnson got in to the field when Sei Young Kim withdrew approximately 30 minutes prior to her tee time; Johnson closed with five consecutive birdies for a 5-under 66
• McDonald and Karine Icher hit all 18 greens in regulation on Thursday, while four players – Katherine Kirk, Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong, Thidapa Suwannapura and Ayako Uehara – hit all 13 fairways
• Joanna Klatten leads the field in driving distance at 305.5 yards
• Play was suspended at 2:29 p.m. CDT due to lightning in the Rogers area and resumed at 3:15 p.m. CDT

Scores

Preview

LPGA returns to the natural state

For the 11th consecutive year, the LPGA is visiting the state of Arkansas for the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G. A field of 143 professionals and one amateur, including 12 of the top 20 players in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, eight 2017 LPGA winners and six past Walmart NW Arkansas champions, will take to Pinnacle Country Club on Friday through Sunday.

Defending champion Lydia Ko will tee it up in hopes of capturing her first 2017 victory. Last year, Ko shot a tournament-record, 17-under 196 en route to a three-stroke victory over Candie Kung and Morgan Pressel.

This week also marks the first LPGA event for Ai Miyazato since announcing that she will retire at the end of the 2017 season. Miyazato spent 11 weeks atop the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings in 2010, and her last LPGA victory came at the 2012 Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

What you need to know about the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G

• 5 – Players from five countries have won at Pinnacle C.C. (Chinese Taipei, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, USA)
• 11 – This is the 11th playing of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G
• The inaugural tournament in 2007, won by then-amateur and University of Arkansas senior Stacy Lewis, is not official, as it was reduced to 18 holes due to rain delays; a tournament must be at least 36 holes to be official
• 15 – 15 players have won titles in 2017, which ties 1991 for the longest stretch to begin a season in LPGA history
• 62 – 18-hole tournament record, held by Angela Park (second round, 2008) and Jane Park (third round, 2008)
• 196 – 72-hole tournament record, held by Lydia Ko (2016)

What you nee to know about 2016 champion Lydia Ko

• No. 2 in the Women’s World Golf Rankings
• 14-time LPGA winner, five-time Ladies European Tour winner, one-time KLPGA winner
• 2014 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year, the youngest winner in Tour history
• 2015 Rolex Player of the Year, the youngest winner in Tour history
• Two major victories at the 2015 Evian Championship and 2016 ANA Inspiration
• At 18 years, 11 months and 9 days, she is the second-youngest player, male or female, to win two majors, behind only Young Tom Morris
• Silver medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where she represented New Zealand

Woo pig sooie!

Five players in this week’s field are proud current or former members of the University of Arkansas women’s golf team:
• Stacy Lewis – 2008 graduate with a degree in finance and accounting; from The Woodlands, Texas
• Gaby Lopez – 2016 graduate with a degree in sports management; from Mexico City, Mexico
• Regina Plasencia – 2016 graduate with a degree in international relations; from Guadelajara, Mexico
• Emily Tubert – 2014 graduate with a degree in broadcast journalism; from Burbank, Calif.
• Alana Uriell – rising senior and sponsor invite; from Carlsbad, Calif.

Sixteen weeks into the Race to the CME Globe

This week’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G is the 16th event in the season-long Race to the CME Globe. World No. 1 Ariya Jutanugarn currently leads the standings with 2,128 points, followed by Lexi Thompson (2,086 points) and So Yeon Ryu (1,695 points).

In 2017, the reset points for the Race to the CME Globe will be modified slightly. As a result of these modifications:
• The top five finishers entering Naples will control their own destiny at the CME Group Tour Championship
• If a player in the top five wins in Naples, she will also win the $1M CME Globe
• The top 12 finishers entering Naples will have a mathematical chance to win the $1M CME Globe
• Please note that previously, the top three controlled their destiny and top nine had a mathematical chance

Sponsor spotlight

Headquartered in Bentonville, Ark., Walmart helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, we serve nearly 260 million customers who visit our 11,504 stores under 65 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2015 revenue of $486 billion, Walmart employs more than two million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity.

Saving people money to help them live better was the goal that founder Sam Walton envisioned when he opened the doors to his first Walmart more than 40 years ago. Today this mission is more important than ever to their customers and members around the world.