Cory Lopez is not only one of the sponsor exemptions for the 2025 edition of the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout, but she is also a proud University of Arkansas alum.

“I'm super excited to be here,” said Lopez. “I'm very thankful to Murphy USA for giving me the invitation. I'm really excited to learn about the Epson Tour players and what they're going to teach me as well."

Mystic Creek Golf Club is going to be a true test for every athlete this week, but Lopez is looking forward to the similarities she believes it has to her college course, The Blessings Golf Club.

“I would say, you have to be super specific with your shots, especially to the green, because there are a lot of slopes,” said Lopez. “It does resemble in the way that Blessings is a course in which you have to be okay with aiming 30 yards right with a wedge and trusting the slope is going to take the ball to the flag. I do like the course, and it reminds me a lot of Blessings.”

Lopez recently turned professional in July 2025 and is feeling very welcome at her first Epson Tour event, as she has been spending time with some familiar faces. She had the chance to catch up with an old teammate and friend, Julia Gregg, during her practice round earlier this week. Gregg is currently in her rookie season on the Epson Tour and was sharing plenty of wisdom about professional golf, as she has earned four top 10s so far this season.

“I had a practice round with Julia, one of my teammates at Arkansas, so that was very nice just to see how she's growing and how her game is getting better,” said Lopez. “I'm really going to use this week to compete and learn from everyone here.”

While the Mexico native is eager for a great week ahead as she competes in the first Epson Tour event of her young professional career, she is also looking forward to representing her culture this week, even more so, seeing that Hispanic Heritage Month just kicked off on Sept. 15.

Lopez has looked up to her fellow Razorback graduates and now turned LPGA professionals, Gaby Lopez and Maria Fassi, over the years, as both share her Mexican heritage. Lopez is hoping she, too, can be a role model for the next generation of young girls wanting to follow in her footsteps.

“I’m very blessed to be from Mexico and have great players like Maria Fassi and Gaby Lopez,” Lopez shared. “I'm really learning from them and hoping I can give something to the younger generation.”

This week has already been packed with a lot of emotions for the University of Arkansas and its golf alumni, as 13-time LPGA Tour winner Stacy Lewis announced her retirement. Lewis is a proud representative of Fayetteville, Ark., and was the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf individual champion while playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks back in 2007. Maria Fassi, who is Lewis’ fellow Arkansas alum, the 2019 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf individual champion, and Mexican, recently expressed her gratitude for getting to share the professional golf space with legend Stacy Lewis over the last several seasons.

“It’s amazing. She’s just the perfect role model that anybody could ask for,” commented Fassi at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. “I’m just very happy I got to share six amazing years on the golf course with her playing professionally.”

Make sure to keep an eye out for all University of Arkansas Alumni teeing it up this weekend on both the LPGA and Epson Tours.

At the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout, Julia Gregg tees off at 12:22 pm local time, and her former Razorback teammate Cory Lopez will begin her Epson Tour debut on Friday at 1:17 p.m.

In round two of the LPGA’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G, Stacy Lewis starts at 7:43 a.m. local time, Gaby Lopez tees off at 8:05 a.m., and Maria Fassi follows at 8:38 a.m.

In the afternoon wave, Brooke Matthews tees off at 1:38 p.m., current Arkansas Maria Jose Marin tees off at 2:00 p.m., and Kendall Todd rounds out the Razorback alumnus at 2:11 p.m.

University of Arkansas Women's Golf Alumni Take Center Stage

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