4 of 5 top-ranked players still alive at Women's State Am

FRUIT HEIGHTS — It wasn't exactly certain how a change in format from stroke to match play would affect the Utah State Women's Amateur. After all, it is different playing an opponent compared to the old adage of playing the golf course.

It was thought that the return to match play after 50 years would help the best players advance and a true champion would emerge. After Tuesday's quarterfinals at Davis Park Golf Course, it appears the change worked, as four of the top-five ranked golfers following Monday's qualifying in stroke-play advanced to Wednesday's semifinals.

"It is different because you know exactly what you need to do," said Salt Lake's Jenteal Jackson, the No. 2 qualifier who advanced with a 1-up win over Lachell Poffenberger in the morning's Round of 16 and a 3-and-2 win over Jessica Thomas in the afternoon quarterfinal. "I like knowing where I stand. In stroke play, you could go out and shoot a 4-under and think you are leading, and someone a few holes behind you could be 5-under. This way, you know whether you are leading and exactly what you need to do on the next hole."

The new format hasn't seemed to matter to defending champion Natalie Stone, the top seed and winner over Rina Slade 7-and-5 in the Round of 16, and 5-and-4 over Kelsey Podlesny in the quarters.

"I like them both, but they are two different beasts," she said. "In stroke play, you can have one big number and you have to battle back the entire round from it. In match play, it can have a little more buzz about it, more excitement because you can turn it around. You can be down, and it doesn't really matter the score; you can try shots, and it is a whole different game."

Stone tried something on holes 10 and 12. After making the turn 1-up, she hit her tee shot left into the trees on the Par-5 No. 10, but a nice recovery shot and approach to within 15 feet left her a makeable birdie putt, which she sank to go 2-up. She followed with another birdie on 11 to move to 3-up, but on 12, Stone's first two shots hit the trees. Her drive was well right, and her recovery shot still hit the bottom of some branches, leaving her almost 200 yards out and in the rough while Podlesny was in the fairway only 145 yards out. Stone hit a nice fairway wood just off the green and got it up and down from there to save bogey. Podlesny hit her approach in the bunker and failed to get up and down, only managing to halve the hole.

"I just figured if I could get it close to the green, and you never know from there — it's golf," said Stone.

Podlesny never really recovered from there, and Stone rode the momentum to her win.