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ROGERS, Ark. — Sarah Schmelzel went from the middle of the pack to a tie for the lead in just five holes Friday, closing with four straight birdies and an eagle for an 8-under 63 to match Minami Katsu in the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
Alison Lee also finished strong with a birdie and an eagle and was among those one shot behind, just what she needed to see in her third tournament back from giving birth to a son in late April.
The scoring was low at Pinnacle Country Club, and that’s what concerned Schmelzel. She went out in 34 and was at 2 under and seemingly going nowhere. But she knew she was coming up on some scoring holes, with short clubs into the green and two par 5s.
“You should at least have looks on all those because you have pretty short clubs in,” Schmelzel said. “I told my caddie walking to the green on 14 I need to start making some birdies or else I’m going to get lapped out there today.”
She hit a few wedges close. She made a long birdie putt on the 17th. And then she capped it off with a second shot close enough for a good look at eagle. She was 2 under through 13 holes, and then 6 under over the last five.
Katsu spread out her eight birdies in a bogey-free round.
The surprise was Lee, who played in the Solheim Cup while pregnant last year. She only returned to competition earlier this month, finishing in a tie for 53rd at the Aramco Series event in Houston – a Ladies European Tour event – and the missing the cut last week in the Kroger Queen City Championship outside Cincinnati.
Lee wonders if the Friday start – this is one of two scheduled 54-hole events on the LPGA – helped her get ready.
“I would say over the last couple weeks coming back and playing, usually the strongest part of my game is my approach shots, my irons. Usually good with hitting my numbers,” Lee said. “Felt like over the last couple weeks that was my weakness. I couldn’t quite get it right.
“So coming into this week – it being a Friday start, too – I had an extra day to prep and hit more range balls, and I feel like that really helped.”
It was a good score to see to get her on track, though Lee realized it was just one round in her return to be a mom on tour. Her son is traveling with her.
Lilia Vu, who has been struggling all year, Nasa Hataoka, Carlota Ciganda, Leona Maguire and Somi Lee also were at 64.
Nelly Korda, still winless this season after a seven-win year in 2024, failed to take advantage of the good scoring conditions. She had a 69 and will go into the second round Friday closer to the cut line than to the lead.
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