Utah Women’s State Am: Weber State alum Kelsey Chugg wins 6th championship
Weber State alum Kelsey Chugg became a six-time winner of the Utah Women’s State Amateur on Saturday.
The 33-year-old edged 19-year-old and expected future pro Ali Mulhall, recently of St. George, 1-up in a close match at TalonsCove Golf Club in Saratoga Springs.
Chugg won holes three and four to take an early lead, but Mulhall claimed the sixth hole. Chugg’s lead remained one hole for most of the morning as the two golfers halved the next nine holes.
Mulhall, this year’s No. 1 seed, made her move on the 16th, sinking a long birdie putt to tie the match.
But Chugg smoothly recorded a par on 18 to claim the victory.
“It is fun for me. It keeps my game sharp. Like, I am not ancient yet,” Chugg told the Deseret News. “It is really fun for me to compete against these great, great players.”
Chugg next plays at the U.S. Women’s Amateur from Aug. 5-11 in Oklahoma.
Mulhall’s next move is LPGA Qualifying school; if she doesn’t yet play well enough to go pro, she’ll play collegiately at UNLV, the Deseret News reports.
Chugg, a 2013 graduate of WSU, won her first state am title in 2012. She was the No. 7 seed in this year’s tournament.