Lewis named SEC Golfer of the Week

FAYETTEVILLE – University of Arkansas senior Stacy Lewis earned Southeastern Conference Women’s Golfer of the Week, the league office announced Thursday.

“It’s her work ethic,” said Arkansas head coach Shauna Estes-Taylor. “Hard work ends with a result of great benefits. Stacy works harder than anyone I know. She is so focused on accomplishing her goals. Her success is a byproduct of her hard work.

“As a coach, I’ve always told athletes that good, efficient practice equals a good performance,” Estes-Taylor went on. “If you work hard, you will reap the benefit and Stacy is a great example of that.”

Lewis, the defending NCAA Champion, has won three consecutive events carding a near-record 208 to win the 2008 Lady Puerto Rico Classic last week. That mark is just one stroke shy of the Arkansas school record of 207 held by Lewis and set last year.

Lewis’ numbers have been amazing since winning the NCAA Championship last year. In the four fall tournaments, Lewis opened with three rounds of 69 and bettered that to an opening round 68 at the UA Ann Rhodes. She matched that with a 68 to start the Lady Puerto Rico. In addition she finished the fall four-under for four tournaments playing the first and last events even par and the middle two at two-under each for a 70.92 stroke average.

She added an eight-under-par performance in Puerto Rico dropping her season stroke average to 70.60. The SEC weekly honor is the fifth in Lewis’ career and the seventh earned by a Lady Razorback.

The Lady Razorbacks return to the links March 9-11, at the Central Florida Invitational in Orlando, Fla. For more information about Arkansas golf, log on to LADYBACKS.COM.