Lewis named SEC Golfer of the Week

FAYETTEVILLE – The accolades for University of Arkansas junior golfer Stacy Lewis continue to accumulate as the Woodlands, Texas, native added Southeastern Conference Golfer of the Week to her resume this week. Although Lewis’ accomplishments were not on the collegiate circuit, her skill in playing with the leaders at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, one of four LPGA majors, earned Lewis the league’s weekly honor. "Just when you think Stacy can’t add more to her golf resume, she raises her performance level to an all time high and outdoes herself," said Arkansas head coach Kelley Hester. "To finish just two shots away from the winner of a major LPGA event is truly amazing. I think she now knows that she can compete at the highest level. She played an extremely difficult course very well. Other courses now will seem much simpler. The key for Stacy now will be to stay patient and not get ahead of herself. Stacy continues to be a model student athlete both on and off the course as she represents the U of A in an exemplary manner. I continue to get calls and emails complementing Stacy for the way she handles herself." Lewis picks up her third SEC Golfer of the Week honor and the first of this season. She was honored twice during her freshman season in the spring of 2005. Lewis received a sponsor’s exemption and was one of three amateurs to make the cut at the Kraft Nabisco Championship last weekend. She played her final round with Morgan Pressel and Sarah Lee carding a one-under 71 for a four-round 287 (71-73-73-70). Pressel, who won the event, carded a final round 69 for a 285 – just two strokes better than Lewis. Lewis, whose father caddied for her, bobbed around the leader board and received plenty of camera time in CBS’s coverage of the final round. She played much of the second nine at two-under but gave up a shot on the par four 16th hole after missing her putt. Lewis’ finish is the second-best for an amateur in the history of the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Lewis’ collegiate career includes back-to-back first team all-Southeastern Conference and all-American honors. She was the SEC Championship medalist at the 2005 SEC Championship and finished ninth overall at last year’s NCAA Championship posting a course record 66 in the final round of play. She is coming off a stellar summer amateur season in which she was the top-ranked amateur player in the nation for much of the summer. Lewis finished 2006 as the Golf World Amateur of the Year. Lewis also received an exemption to play in last year’s Owens Corning Jamie Farr Classic in Ohio. She did not make the cut in her only other LPGA appearance. Lewis returns to the course with the Lady Razorbacks April 8-9, traveling to Norman, Okla., for the Susie Maxwell Berning Invitational. It is the final tune-up prior to the Southeastern Conference Championship at Old Waverly Golf Course in West Point, Miss. For more information about Lewis or the Lady Razorbacks, please log on to LADYBACKS.COM.