Lewis advances at the Amateur

NORTH PLAINS, Ore. — University of Arkansas junior Stacy Lewis advanced with a 2-and-1 win in the first round of match play at the 106th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in North Plains, Ore., Wednesday. Lewis defeated Great Britain’s Curtis Cup member Kiran Matharu in a drama-filled match to reach the round of 32. The duo played square through the first five holes before Lewis grabbed the first lead, on the par-four, 411-yard sixth hole. Matharu squared the match when Lewis bogeyed the seventh but The Woodlands, Texas, native rebounded with back-to-back birdies going up by two. Matharu gave up another stroke on the 11th hole as Lewis’ lead soared to three-up, a lead she held through 12 holes. Lewis bogeyed 13 as the back-and-forth battle continued and eventually dropped to one-up on the 16th hole as Matharu threatened to square the match. But Lewis preserved finishing with a birdie on the 17th to secure the win. Lewis faces Birmingham, Ala., native Candace Schepperle in the round of 32. Should she advance, Lewis will play in the afternoon. For more information about Arkansas golf, log on to LADYBACKS.COM.