NCAA Champion Lewis to Play Arkansas LPGA Event

University of Arkansas golfer and 2007 NCAA Women's National champion Stacy Lewis has accepted a sponsor's exemption to play in the inaugural LPGA NW Arkansas Championship presented by John Q. Hammons. The Tournament will be held September 3-9 at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Ark.

"I'm really excited to play," said Lewis. "We haven't had a home tournament in two years, so it will be nice to play in front of a home crowd."

Lewis is coming off a whirlwind week in which she won the 2007 NCAA Women's Golf National Championship, the prestigious Dinah Shore Trophy and 2007 All-American honors. Lewis headed into the May 25 final round of the NCAA Championship in third place, but fired a tournament-low 66 - which included a stretch of five straight birdies - to win the title by two strokes.

Her day was made even sweeter when she was named the recipient of the 2007 Dinah Shore Trophy at a banquet following her NCAA Championship victory. The award recognizes a female golfer who excels in both academics and athletics. Lewis maintains a 3.73 GPA in accounting and finance and was named ESPN The Magazine All-District Six First Team.

Lewis has had plenty of experience at Pinnacle Country Club, as the Arkansas golf team played there during her freshman and sophomore seasons and she practices there often. Lewis figures the layout at Pinnacle will set up nicely for her game. "I really like that every hole is a little different," she said. "Every shot is different. It's a ball striker's course, which I think plays nicely for me."

"It is very exciting that a golfer and person the caliber of Stacy will play in our inaugural event," said Lenny Francoeur, LPGA NW Arkansas Championship's tournament director. "Her personality and character fit so well with the people of this area. This Lady Razorback has a very bright future, and we hope everyone will come out and support one of their own."

Lewis has shared her talent and love of the game with others as a member of the 2007 SEC Community Service Team and a UA "Champion of Character." She has assisted with golf clinics for the Girl Scouts; the local First Tee program; and at National Girls and Women in Sports Day clinics. She is also active in Sweat Hogs, a program administered by the UA Women's Athletics Department that promotes physical activity in area youth.

Lewis, who has one year of eligibility remaining, owns every single-round and single-season record for the Lady Razorbacks. The LPGA NW Arkansas Championship won’t be her first foray on the professional circuit; she competed in the 2006 Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic, the 2007 Kraft Nabisco Championship and has plans for this July’s Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic. She was the low amateur at Kraft, a major championship on the LPGA, finishing tied for fifth.

Daily tickets for the Tournament are $15 Tuesday - Thursday of tournament week and $25 for championship play, Friday - Sunday. Week-long grounds badges can be purchased for $50. Access to the tournament grounds on Monday, September 3, is free. Tickets can be purchased www.lpganwac.com or by calling 479/715-6100.

Proceeds from the Tournament will benefit the First Tee of NW Arkansas and the Boys & Girls Club of Benton County and Washington County.