Lewis Turns Pro, Then Qualifies


June 9, 2008

By Art Stricklin

Garland, Texas - Former amateur standout Stacy Lewis showcased her potential as a professional golfer, brighter than the flashbulbs around the 18th green late Monday night. She fired an early-morning 69 followed by a 73 for a 2-over-par 142 total, to earn medalist honors and qualify for the U.S. Women's Open, which will be held June 26-29 at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn.

Lewis, from The Woodlands, Texas, turned pro in the morning at Eastern Hills Country Club, just outside of Dallas, then blitzed the field in the U. S. Women's Open sectional qualifying field to add to her already incredible spring and summer

She was joined by three other qualifiers: longtime pro Laurie Brower (75-71-146), and 15-year-old first-time qualifier Erynne Lee (71-78-149), and recent University of Tulsa graduate Tara Goedeken (75-74-149), who also will be making her first Women's Open appearance. 

Local star Taylor Leon, with a 75-76, and Arkansas native Meagan Vaughn (72-79) filled the two alternate sports at 151.

 "This has been a really good day for me," said Lewis, 23, after the 36-hole round that ended in total darkness following three rain delays.

 "The Open is huge because it will continue my momentum against the players I need to play and allow me to continue what I need to do."

She missed the 36-hole cut of the 2007 U.S. Women's Open at Pine Needles, but was glad for another chance.

 "I know I need to stay really patient and I can manage my game better now than last year," she said.

Lewis came into sectional qualifying with a load of momentum after becoming the first female player ever to go 5-0 at the recent Curtis Cup Match at the Old Course, St. Andrews, .

In 2007, she captured the NCAA Division I individual women's golf title playing for the University of Arkansas, where she earned first-team All-America honors the past two seasons.

"I felt I was playing really well coming in and hitting my driver really well which is the key to this course," Lewis said.

In her morning round, the only subpar round of the tournament, Lewis registered six birdies, including the par-4 18 ^th hole. She added three more birdies on the second 18 to wrap up medalist honors and another invitation to a USGA championship.

Along with the Open, Lewis has already secured two LPGA Tour sponsor's exemptions, following what she hopes will be a smashing pro debut later this month at Interlachen.

"This shows the future of the LPGA is very bright," said Lewis.

Lee, meanwhile, fired a morning 71 to finish second behind Lewis after 18 holes, giving the Seattle, Wash., resident her first Open berth despite the shaky afternoon round.

"The Open will mean a lot to me," the ninth-grader at Ridgetop Junior High School said.

"It will be at the top of my list. I feel so proud to be the youngest one from Washington State to play in the Open. It makes all of my hard work over the winter pay off."

She was born in Los Angeles and moved to Seattle when she was three. Lee has concentrated on various junior events until now, but after winning her local Open qualifier by three shots, felt she was ready for more advanced competition.

"After the first round (Monday), I felt like I had a chance, but then I got very nervous. I had never seen this course before, but was determined to play my best."

Goedeken played in the first group of the day and was one of the few players to better her score in the afternoon against tougher, windier conditions.

"This is the first time I've ever tried to qualify for the Open so you can say I surprised myself," she said.

"I already have my summer planned with internships and work, so this was going to be the only tournament I entered. It should be a great week."

Brower, who turned pro in 1999, has played in four U.S. Opens, but none in the last five years due to injuries and lack of competition. She has spent the last several years as the teaching professional at the Texas Tech University Rawls Course in Lubbock, Texas.

"I wasn't going to try to qualify until some people encouraged me to try it. I'm glad they did. I wasn't going to give up or go away," said Brower.

When the last putt dropped at , with the only light coming from the clubhouse lamps, the four sectional qualifiers, all from very different golfing paths, were glad they didn't give up or go away until they had their '08 U.S. Women's Open invitations.

ArtStricklin is a freelance writer whose work has appeared previously on www.usga.org.