ROGERS -- Arkansas Razorbacks golfer Gaby Lopez was happy just to be playing in last year's Northwest Arkansas Championship.
That she made the cut, finished the tournament at even par and tied for 57th was a bonus.
A Year Better
University of Arkansas golfer Gaby Lopez has earned sponsorship exemptions in the past two Walmart NW Arkansas Championship events.
2014
Rd1^Rd2^Rd3^Total^Finish
70^72^71^213^Tied 57
2015
73^65^69^207^Xxxxxx
"Mentally it was a great experience last year and just made me stronger for this year," Lopez said Sunday.
Much stronger.
Lopez, who just finished her junior season at UA, made requisite improvement by finishing at 6-under 207 and 28 places higher, tied for 29th.
Lopez, playing on a sponsor's exemption for the second year in a row, opened tournament play Friday with a 73 and was in danger of missing the cut. But she sank seven birdie putts in a round of 6-under 65 to move to 4 under heading into the final round.
A bogey on No. 6 Sunday dropped her to 3 under, but she eagled the par-5 seventh hole to move to 5 under, then closed the front nine with a birdie at No. 9 to move to 6 under.
Lopez parred every hole on the back nine, missing a couple of birdie chances including a short putt at No. 10. But she also rallied to save par several times, including a tough 8-foot downhill putt at the par-3 11th to keep her score at 6 under. Lopez ended her round with a short par putt at No. 18 in front of a large, pro-Razorback crowd.
"I did not make as many birdies today, but I think I hit more solid putts today," she said. "It was just a matter of falling in or not falling in."
Arkansas women's golf coach Shauna Estes-Taylor said Lopez has the game to compete with the world's best.
"The girls that are winning each week have hot putters," Estes-Taylor said. "Getting those putts to fall like she did yesterday. To make seven birdies, that's what it takes out here week in and week out. Just more patience, more smarts around the golf course, all of those things. You couple them together and she'll make a great player out here."
Lopez said she believes she is already playing at a level that could compete on the LPGA Tour.
"I think it's just a matter of consistency and knowing where the ball is going to go before I hit it," she said. "And hitting good solid putts. That's it. I think I'm good enough to compete against these girls.
Lopez, who will compete in the U.S. Open in two weeks, said she plans to return to Arkansas for her senior season to try and lead the Razorbacks to the national championship.
Ko rallies on final day
Several of the LPGA's top golfers struggled this week at Pinnacle Country Club, but the world's No. 2 player finished strong and was the leader in the clubhouse for a stretch Sunday afternoon.
Lydia Ko, 18, who was ranked No. 1 from February until two weeks ago, fired an 8-under par 63 to finish 11-under in a tie for sixth after beginning the day tied for 40th. Ko finished four shots behind winner Na Yeon Choi, but was able to earn her third consecutive top-five finish at the event.
"My tee shots were good the last two days, so in a way I was playing good and my score wasn't up to that," Ko said. "But today I got some putts rolling and I shot in well with 3-under the first three holes,"
Ko's Sunday charge came after she made the 36-hole cut by one shot Saturday, narrowly avoiding what would've been her second consecutive missed cut after making her first 53 on tour.
Information for this article was contributed by Jimmy Carter of the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Chip Souza can be reached at csouza@nwadg.com or on Twitter @NWAChip.
Sports on 06/29/2015