ROGERS (KFSM) -- The first round of The LPGA tournament began Friday (June 26). Before hitting the course, many of the women still took time to mentor younger golfers. In addition, many of the women golfers have been staying with families in the Northwest Arkansas area.
Bentonville High School freshman Chloe Ellis said there are two professional golfers that she considers to be mentors, Ai Miyazato and Morgan Pressel.
"I have gotten to know them over the past several years " Ellis said. "Just watching and interacting with them and starting just to getting their autograph and getting their picture, and then we just became buddies."
While Ellis has been playing golf for three years, her passion for the sport started nine years ago, when she helped her mother, a volunteer, shuttle players when the LGPA tournament began being held in Northwest Arkansas.
Ellis said she hopes to "pay it forward" by becoming a mentor to younger golfers if she becomes a professional golfer.
Both of Ellis' mentors, Miyazator and Pressel, are part of the 144 golfers out on the Pinnacle County Club golf course in Rogers, competing for the $2 million purse. The winner will take home $300,000.