Paige Pierce shot up the leaderboard Friday morning. Photo: Alyssa Van Lanen

HENDERSON, Nev. – Though we’re mere miles from the famed Strip here at the Las Vegas Challenge, seven is rarely a lucky number on the course. In racking up that many out-of-bounds throws during her 938-rated opening round Thursday, Paige Pierce didn’t look like the high roller she normally is and instead found herself in an eight-shot hole.

It didn’t take long, though, for the natural order to be restored.