Jasmine Suwannapura of Thailand fired a bogey-free, 8-under-par 63 to establish the first-round lead at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on Friday in Rogers, Ark.
Suwannapura birdied four of her final six holes on her way to carding a 5-under 30 on the back nine at Pinnacle Country Club. She finished the day one stroke ahead of China's Liqi Zeng, Spain's Carlota Ciganda, South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai and Mexico's Maria Fassi at the 54-hole event.
Suwannapura, a two-time LPGA Tour champion, knows that her work is far from over.
"I know a lot of girls out here is going to go low. I hope I can go low the next two days," she said.
The 31-year-old hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation in the opening round.
"I think it's starting from last week I think everything coming, getting better with my irons, having more confidence," Suwannapura said.
A Crowded Leaderboard
Zeng -- a rookie ranked No. 438 in the world -- started her day on the back nine and rolled in five straight birdies at Nos. 14 through 18 to propel her toward her lowest round of the season. She said her 64 also tied her career low.
"Out on the tour with the greatest players in the world, I knew I needed to learn a lot and I have," Zeng said. "The mental aspect, pace here is much different than what I'm used to. I'm fortunate to be able to see after every tournament and round growth in myself."
Buhai faded to a T14 finish there and hopes to improve on that this week.
"In the middle of the year was tough for me injury-wise," Buhai said. "Struggled with my back, then broke my toe. But started to turn the corner. Felt at the Olympics played four good solid weeks. ... It's nice to just see that work that I've put in, that I've been able to finally put in, because I wasn't able to for a while, is finally starting to pay off a little bit."
Razorback Nation
The leaderboard was brimming with former Razorbacks, reflecting the strong legacy of Arkansas golf. Former University of Arkansas star Maria Fassi, a shot behind Suwannapura, echoed the sentiment, "It was a great day." Fassi capped her collegiate career with the 2019 NCAA individual title. The tournament is a home game for many players, with Maria Marin of Colombia, a current Razorback, also making her mark on the leaderboard after a 65.
"For me to be here is like a privilege," Marin said. "Of course, I work really, really hard all season last year to be here and to get the exemption. It's just great."
Other former Razorbacks in the tournament included Gaby Lopez, who finished at 66, and Stacy Lewis, the victorious Solheim Cup captain, who shot a 69. The event has a special significance for Lopez, "Everyone is here for the Razorback Nation."
A Rookie's Rise
In her LPGA debut, Colombian amateur Maria Marin opened with a 6-under 65. She's tied with Dottie Ardina of the Philippines and Yu Liu of China for sixth.
"I'm not going to lie, I was super nervous on the first tee and while hitting on the last four holes," Marin said. "If you're not nervous, it means it doesn't matter to you and this means a lot to me. I just tried to stay calm, breathe through it and just trust my ability to do great shots."
Looking Ahead
With the tournament being a 54-hole event, there's no cut, and the players are looking to make the most of the opportunity. Suwannapura acknowledged, "I think it's everybody's game tomorrow. I know a lot of girls out here going to go low. I hope I can go low the next two days. We'll see what happens." The weekend promises exciting golf with the leaderboard tightly packed and a plethora of talented players ready to make their move.
A Final Word
The first round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship has been a thrilling display of golf. Suwannapura's impressive performance, the strong showing by the Razorback contingent, and the emergence of rookie players like Zeng have all contributed to an exciting start to the tournament. The stage is set for a captivating weekend of golf with the top players vying for the title.
