Former Wildcat Gigi Stoll enjoying her homecoming, leads Epson Tour event at Sewailo

This week’s third annual Casino Del Sol Golf Classic wasn’t just a typical event for former Arizona national champion and LPGA golfer Gigi Stoll — it was a coming-home party.

Stoll has had a rich history in Tucson, being part of the famed run that saw the Wildcats win the 2018 national championship against Alabama in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The Arizona alumna is looking to take home another title — this time facing former teammate Haley Moore in the 72-hole tournament at Sewailo Golf Club that concludes Sunday.

Stoll takes a slim lead into the final round. She’s one shot ahead of Moore and Daniela Iacobelli.

“It’s great to have some familiar faces on the tour,” Stoll said. “I think it’s great to have alumni come back on the professional tour; (there are) a lot of good golfers coming through the program.”

This event might have felt like another day hitting shots for Stoll, playing at her former home course, where she placed third in the Wildcat invitational in a collegiate career-best 209 strokes in 2018. Fast-forward five years, and she’s atop the leaderboard with one round to go.

“Coming into this week, I feel like I played some really good golf,” Stoll said Friday, via the Epson Tour.

“It’s definitely nice to come back and play a familiar course. Knowing everything about the course is an advantage, and to play well and hit the shots that I am trying to hit is really making me feel good.”

Stoll, who currently practices her game in Las Vegas, attributed a lot of her early success as a professional to her former club, The Reflection Bay Club, a Jack Nicklaus-designed course.

“They have really good professionals out there that are teachers, and they have a really good facility out there that allows you to hit all sorts of different shots and prepare for tournaments,” Stoll said.

Despite traveling around the country a great deal throughout her collegiate career, Stoll noted that “it takes a little bit to adjust once you become a professional golfer.”

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The Oregon native endured this obstacle last week after she missed qualifying by three shots for the Los Angeles Open in Palos Verdes Estates, California, on Monday. Stoll then had to drive nearly eight hours to get from L.A. to Tucson the next day to compete on the Epson Tour.

“It’s a full-time job,” Stoll said. “Some people think that we’re out here practicing and playing, but really, we’re sacrificing our whole week, every day to our job — it’s a full-time commitment.”

The fourth-year pro has taken her game to new heights and refined her skills considerably since she skipped her senior season at Arizona. When you’re in college, you’re part of a team. When you’re a pro, you’re largely on you’re own.

“Once you’re professional, you have to take care of things yourself,” Stoll said. “Now that I’ve been on the tour and as a professional for four years now, I’ve seen a lot more things and I know a lot of ways that just make travel life easier ... some things (that) I wish I would have known then that make it easier now. But it’s great to have that experience.”

Tight race

Stoll and Moore entered Saturday tied for the lead at 8 under par. Stoll emerged as the solo leader after 54 holes, but both she and her former teammate faltered down the stretch to narrow the gap.

Stoll was at 12 under par after birdieing the 14th hole. She bogeyed Nos. 16 and 17 to finish with a third-round 70 and a 10-under total.

Moore was at 12 under through 16. She bogeyed No. 17 and doubled No. 18 to drop to 9 under. Moore shot a 71 one day after firing a 9-under 63.

Stoll, Moore and Iacobelli, who shot a 68, are scheduled to tee off in the final group at 8:50 a.m.