Judge Memorial graduate repeats as Women's Golf State Am Champion

Photo cortesy of Fairways Magazine

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Stone said hitting the fairways well during the Women's State Amateur at Davis Park was key to her winning.

By Christine Young

Intermountain Catholic

FRUIT HEIGHTS — Natalie Stone defended her title as the 104th Women’s Utah State Amateur Champion by defeating Southern Utah University’s Sadie Palmer in the championship match at Davis Park Golf Course July 21. Stone defeated Palmer three-up on the 16th hole with two holes remaining.

Stone graduated from Judge Memorial Catholic High School in 2005 and from Colorado State University this year. She was the qualifying medalist the first day of the tournament with a four under par 67 in a field of 60 women July 19-21. After the medal round, the top 16 players advanced to match play with Stone as the number one seed. Stone won four straight matches and the title under the new match play format. In the semifinals, Stone defeated Weber High School senior Tara Green one-up on the last hole. She won the Women’s State Am last year at Thanksgiving Point Golf Course by five shots in a 54-hole three-day stroke play format.

The Women’s State Amateur started as match play in 1906 and was changed to stroke play in 1961.

"The Utah Amateur, run by the Utah Women’s Golf Association, is the oldest women’s state amateur in the country," said Thomas Pagel, Utah Golf Association (UGA) executive director. "This year the women’s association and the UGA formed a partnership and in doing so, we changed the format.

"Typically the defending champion advances as the number one seed, but because we changed the format, Natalie had to earn her way in as well," said Pagel. "She is a great player, and people said she would be able to adjust to the format change. Match play is completely different from stroke play because it is one-on-one and she handled it brilliantly."

Playing at Davis Park was a little nerve wracking but fun, Stone said. "I know the course, but I had added pressure to play well because it is my home course. It helped to know the greens and to have my brother Pete as a caddie to talk, but I also was expected to make my putts because I have been around that course for so long."

Stone, who began playing golf at age 7, is the daughter of Davis Park head professional Brad Stone, and the granddaughter of long-time Davis Park head professional Pierre Hualde. "They both taught me how to play," she said. "I grew to like golf and I had my older brothers Pete and Jeff on the course with me."

Stone said her golf game improved at Judge by being the only female on the team, and she liked having her brother on the team her freshman and sophomore years.

Stone was the first Utah State High School Women’s Champion. "She is a great competitor," said Jim Beisel, who coached her at Judge. "When we played our matches, she played head to head against the boys and went out and beat them."

A health and exercise science major, Stone set several personal records her junior year including a low-round 69 in the Heather Farr/CU Memorial tournament, and capped off a career at CSU finishing 10th in the Mountain West Conference her senior season with a stroke average of 75.75 through 36 rounds an improvement of almost five strokes since her freshman year.

"Earlier this spring, she helped guide the Rams to a first place finish, tying for 11th place at the MountainView Invitation, the team’s first victory since 2004," said Danielle Marshall, CSU assistant sports information director.

Stone, who works in the pro shop at Fort Collins Country Club said she may turn professional soon.