Lewis wins NCAA Women's Golf National Championship

Jump toresults DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — University of Arkansas junior Stacy Lewis posted a near record 66 in the final round winning the 2007 NCAA Women’s Golf National Championship in Daytona Beach, Fla., Friday. Lewis was in third place heading into the final round and recorded seven birdies, including five consecutive, as she moved into the lead. Lewis’ 66 paired with rounds of 71-71-74 for a 282. She finished two strokes better than second place Christel Boejion of Purdue who finished with a 284 (72-69-69-74). Along with the national title, she earned her third all-America honor inher three seasons at Arkansas. Lewis becomes the first individual to win the national championship since 1997 when Texas’ Heather Bowie won with a 285 at Ohio State. Lewis is also the first Lady Razorback other than track or cross country to win an individual national championship since the mid-80s. She is the first Arkansas golfer in nearly a half century to win the title, joining R.H. Sikes of Springdale, Ark., who earned medalist honors in 1963 for the Razorbacks. "I was really in control of my irons today," said Lewis. "It just felt like the hole was so big." "Stacy made it look easy today," said Arkansas head coach Kelley Hester. "She hit her approach shots close to the hole and made her putts. She’s a true champion." Lewis began the day on the front nine with a par on the first hole and a birdie on the second, a par-five, 537-yard long hole. Lewis had bogeyed the second hole twice in the previous three rounds. She added a second birdie on the four hole and would remain at two-under on the first nine. "I had so many chances for birdie on six, seven, eight and nine," said Lewis. "I just didn’t make the putts." "She could have been nine under on the front nine," remarked Hester. "She had a couple lip out. She was fun to watch today." Lewis made the turn and turned it on with five consecutive birdies on 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 finishing with a 66. "You know, they call making three birdies a turkey," Hester said. "When she made four, I guess now we’ll call that a Stacy. When she got five, well, I don’t know what you’d call that." Lewis finished in dramatic fashion as she carried the 18th green long. She chipped on to the green and appeared to run it well passed the hole. Left with a 10 to 12-footer, Lewis putted firmly for par on the final hole. "I thought that last chip might have gotten away," said Lewis after the round, "but it hung on. It was uphill and breaking to the left and it just went in." That mark ties the Arkansas record for lowest round, a mark held by Lewis and set in the final round of last year’s NCAA Championship. Lewis posted the 66 setting the Scarlet Course record at Ohio State as she vaulted into ninth place overall. Her final round 282 is also a record for the lowest four-round tournament score. Lewis holds every single-round and single-season record for the Lady Razorbacks and, with one year of eligibility remaining, will likely own the career records as well.