ROGERS, AR – 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, AR.
"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 Friday, May 25 final round of the NCAA Championship in third place but used a tournament-low 66, including a stretch of five consecutive birdies, to win the title by two strokes.
Her Friday 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 on the layout at Pinnacle Country Club. 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, 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 T5.
About John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, LLC
Springfield, Mo.-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, LLC is the nation’s leading independent builder, developer, owner and manager of upscale, full-service hotels, resorts and suites, including: Embassy Suites Hotels, Renaissance, Marriott, Radisson, Residence Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Holiday Inn and Courtyard by Marriott brands. With 62 hotels strategically located near demand generators, such as state capitals, universities, airports, corporate headquarters or office parks in secondary and tertiary markets, John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts’ properties are dominant in their markets. Over the course of his impressive career in the hotel business, Mr. Hammons has developed 164 hotels. For more information, visit www.jqh.com.
About the Ladies Professional Golf Association
Featuring the world’s best women golfers, the LPGA’s membership includes touring, teaching and club professionals. The LPGA Tour in 2007 features 35 events, with total prize money of nearly $55 million. Since 1981, the LPGA and its tournaments have raised approximately $180 million for charity. From the dreams of its 13 founders in 1950, the LPGA has evolved into the world’s pre-eminent women’s professional sports organization. The LPGA has grown from its roots as a playing tour into a non-profit organization involved in every facet of golf. The LPGA is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla. For more information, log on to www.LPGA.com.
About Octagon’s Golf Division
Octagon’s Golf Division manages two Champions Tour events, The ACE Group Classic and SAS Championship presented by Forbes; three LPGA Tour events, Sybase Classic, LPGA NW Arkansas Championship presented by John Q. Hammons, and SemGroup Championship presented by John Q. Hammons; and one Nationwide Tour event, Rex Hospital Open. Octagon’s Golf Division also represents nearly 20 golfing professionals including Chris Smith, Natalie Gulbis, Christina Kim, Meg Mallon, and Beth Daniel. Additionally, Octagon represents marketing rights to Davis Love III, Gary Koch, and brothers, Bobby and Lanny Wadkins.
About Octagon
Octagon is the world’s largest sports and entertainment representation and marketing agency with global expertise in consulting, athletes & personalities, event management, property representation, marketing solutions, licensing and merchandising and talent procurement. As part of The Interpublic Group (NYSE:IPG), one of the world’s leading organizations of advertising agencies and marketing services, Octagon employs more than 1,000 people in 60 offices around the world. For more information visit: www.octagon.com.
Contact:
Lenny Francoeur, Tournament Director
(479) 715-6100 or lenny.francoeur@octagon.com
Adam Harris, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
(919) 531-0500 or adam.harris@octagon.com
