Stacy Lewis returns 17 years after first NW Arkansas Championship win

ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Former Razorback golfer Stacy Lewis is back in Rogers for the 18th Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G.

Lewis has won two trophies in the tournament’s history but only one of those wins technically counts, but why?

The then-defending individual collegiate national champion was the first-round leader of the inaugural NW Arkansas Championship, held in 2007, which was shortened by two rounds due to weather and just one round was played.

Lewis said at the end of the abbreviated tournament it was a “ rollercoaster of emotions “.

The tournament was deemed unofficial since only 18 holes were played and 36 holes needed to be played for it to be considered official.

“From the LPGA’s standpoint, this is not a tournament,” Doug Brecht, the LPGA’s vice president of rules and officials, said. “It’s extremely unfortunate, obviously, for a lot of different reasons. … It’s obviously not official, and we just don’t consider it an event at all.”

Instead of Lewis’ win, weather was the story.

According to Chief Meteorologist Dan Skoff , the opening round started off with showers and storms in the morning into the afternoon and caused a few lightning delays. Eventually, the weather let up allowing the first round to finish with then at the time amateur Stacy Lewis in the lead .

The following day, torrential rains started again. Rain totals during the event averaged three to five inches.

There was no rain on Sunday but the LPGA decided on Saturday the tournament would end after just 18 holes, citing “dangerous course conditions” that included large puddles.

“We looked at it from a maintenance standpoint what we had to do to get this golf course back in a playable condition; and the forecast and how it presented itself at that time over the next two days as far as our opportunity to play 36 holes,” Brecht said.

Despite getting the trophy at the end of the weekend, Lewis did not get the prize money. Since Lewis was an amateur she was not eligible to receive the prize money and the $2.3 million purse was halved.

The LPGA said players received 50% of the prize money they would have earned had the tournament been completed.

After a wild 2007 tournament, Lewis would rise to the top in the 2014 edition, not only receiving the trophy but also the prize money.

Now Lewis is back looking for a third title in Northwest Arkansas. Her first-round tee time is set for 8:21 a.m. on Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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