Women's State Amateur: Natalie Stone repeats as champ

FRUIT HEIGHTS — When defending champion Natalie Stone found out the Utah State Women's Amateur was going to be held at her home course of Davis Park, she immediately thought the challenge of repeating would be immense.

Tough, but oh-so rewarding, as well.

"The second time was pretty bittersweet," said Stone after claiming her second consecutive title by defeating Sadie Palmer 3-and-2 in the final match. "The first time was great, you can't take that away 'cause it was the first time, but out here it feels pretty good — to be at Davis with family and friends around is great.

"There was all that extra-added pressure coming in," added Stone about the only bitter part of it.

Stone held up through the added weight of it all and played a steady final round to win. In the 16 holes against Palmer, she didn't shoot a single bogey and never trailed. She was a model of consistency. For the most part, so was Palmer, all except for a three-hole stretch that really cost her the match.

With things all square, Palmer missed a 3 ½ foot putt on No. 6 when it lipped out to fall behind by one. Whether it was from being rattled from the miss or not, Palmer hit her poorest shot of the three days on the tee at the Par 3, No. 7 only moments later. The shot bounced off the cart path and into the trees where it was unplayable. Following a 40-minute lightning delay, Palmer got back on the course where she had to return to the same tee box and hit her third shot. Stone, who had put her tee shot on the back fringe, two putted to claim the hole and take a two-hole cushion.

"I kind of lost focus there on No. 7, but other than that I think I played solid," said Palmer.

The match clearly turned toward Stone on the next hole. Palmer had about a seven-foot birdie putt to win the Par 5, No. 8 when Mother Nature struck again. When the players returned from the second lightning delay, Palmer missed the putt and it ran a good five feet past the hole. She missed the ensuing par putt and just when it looked like she would cut the lead back to one, she found herself 3-down.

"She (Palmer) chipped it above the hole there and on that right side of No. 8 it's slippery," said Stone. "She got the ball going a little quick, and from there you have to just cozy it down there. It ran a little past and I knew mine was pretty dead straight. I thought I would roll it in, and it gave me a little momentum."

From there, Stone played tee to fairway to green and never really gave Palmer a chance to get back in it.