Lewis tied for fourth after first round action at the NCAA Championship

Jump to results|| Jump to leaderboard DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — University of Arkansas junior Stacy Lewis attacked the LPGA International Golf Course in Dayton Beach, Fla., Tuesday in the first round of the NCAA Championship coming off the links in a tie for second place. Lewis had a morning tee time competing with individuals from Long Beach State and Florida State. The trio finished before the second have of the field teed off and Lewis had to wait in the clubhouse to see if her one-under 71 would hold up. Conditions on the golf course were tough. Morning temperatures were in the 70s while it climbed to more than 80 degrees in the afternoon. A strong wind plagued the morning session and it only picked up as the day went on. Lewis bobbed around the top 10 on the leader board as the second wave of players’ scores began coming in but in the end her 71 stood up and she remains on top of the leader board tied for fourth in the 126-golfer field. "The course is very different than the first time we played back in the fall," said Arkansas head coach Kelley Hester. "In the fall, there was a ton of rough and the greens were really firm. They haven’t had much rain this spring and the rough isn’t as bad. The greens are firming up a bit as the wind is picking up. Stacy never quite got comfortable with the wind but when she did miss a green, she was still able to get up-and-down." The Legends Course at LPGA International played 6,351-yards and is a par 72, setting up nicely for Lewis. "It was a good way to start," said Lewis. "I’m pretty pleased. I like the course. The rough isn’t as bad as the first time we played the course in the fall and it sets up well for me. My short game was a strength today. You have to be able to make three and four-footers and I did that. The difference this morning was that I was able to make some of those putts and get up-and-down." Lewis’ round began with a birdie on the par-four 370-yard first tee. She gave the stroke back with a double on the second hole and played one-over through the first seven holes. The Woodlands, Texas, native moved even on eight with a birdies on the 474-yard par five and would remain square until a final birdie on the 16th hole. Lewis has been hailed as a player to watch by several news sources. Beth Ann Baldry of Golfweek selected Lewis as her favorite to win while the Dayton Beach newspaper, the News-Journal, listed Lewis in its top five players to watch. Lewis tees off for the second of four rounds Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. central. For more information about Lewis and Lady Razorback golf, log on to LADYBACKS.COM.