ROGERS -- Samantha Marks admitted there were plenty of nerves as she began her round Monday at Pinnacle Country Club.
A bogey-bogey start on the first two holes didn't help calm the anxious moments, but Marks settled down and settled into a solid even-par round of 71 to win the Monday qualifier for the LPGA Northwest Arkansas Championship.
LPGA Northwest Arkansas Championship qualifier
Monday
At Pinnacle Country Club, Rogers
GOLFER;SCORE
Samantha Marks (a);71
Kristi O’Brien;72
Kristina Merkle;74
Lorie Kane;74
Hanule Seo;75
Regina Plasencia (a);75
Doris Chen;75
Megan Vaughn;76
Jade Staggs;76
Jordan Rose;77
Taylor Neidy;79
Sydney Cox;80
Allie Knight80
Samantha Postillion;81
Kate Machado;83
The victory earned Marks, a sophomore at the University of the Arkansas, one of the final two spots in the field for the LPGA event, which will be played Friday through Sunday at Pinnacle County Club. The other final qualifying spot went to Kristi O'Brien of Fishers, Ind., who shot a 1-over 72.
"I'm really proud of the way I played," Marks said. "I worked really hard this summer, and I was happy to have gone out here with this opportunity and played the best that I could."
Marks, who was one of two Razorbacks attempting to qualify Monday along with junior Regina Plasencia, rallied from her early 2-over start with a birdie at the 520-yard, par-5 seventh, using a 35-foot putt to start her hot streak. Another birdie at the par-4 ninth got Marks back to even par before a third birdie at No. 11 put her at 1 under.
Marks bogeyed the 394-yard, par-4 12th hole to fall back to even par but played steady the rest of the way.
"I don't get nervous, and I was shaking out of my shoes on those first two holes," Marks said. "But like my coach, Shauna [Estes-Taylor], tells me, it's never over. So I kept saying that to myself, and I got a couple back and was right back in it."
Plasencia was playing in the Monday qualifier at Pinnacle for a second consecutive year. She shot a 4-over 75 this time around, missing a qualifying score by three strokes.
"Just to play this course and play in this condition with this field, it was fun," Plasencia said. "I was out there with my teammate Summer [Roachell], who was caddying for me, and it was a great experience. We had fun out there."
Marks and Plasencia earned spots in the Monday qualifier thanks to their play with the Razorbacks. They were the top scoring players for Arkansas this season and were rewarded with the opportunity to qualify for the LPGA event.
"I took the opportunity and I seized it," Marks said. "I'm ready to go play this weekend."
Practice rounds for the LPGA Northwest Arkansas Championship begin today.
Sports on 06/23/2015