Stone rolls to State Am title

LEHI — In the end, experience paid off for Natalie Stone, who fulfilled a longtime goal by winning the Women's State Amateur golf championship on Wednesday at Thanksgiving Point Golf Course.

The 22-year-old Stone came through with a sparkling 3-under-par 33 on the back nine to overtake 14-year-old Sirene Blair, who had led the tournament since the first day. Stone finished with a 2-under-par 70 and a 214 total to beat Blair by five shots.

"It means a lot to me," said Stone. "There's a lot of good players on that trophy and it's a really good feeling to win it. It's always been a goal of mine to (have my name) on there."

Stone, the daughter of Davis Park pro Brad Stone, started playing golf around the age of 10 and had played in three previous State Amateurs. She's also gained a lot of experience, playing for the Colorado State golf team the past three years. She will be a senior at Fort Collins in the fall.

Even though she trailed Blair by one shot with nine holes left, Stone never got worried. "I knew slow and steady wins the race," she said. "Hit the fairways and hit the greens and maybe a putt would fall."

Blair, who will be a ninth-grader at Elk Ridge Middle School next month, started the day with a one-stroke lead and kept her poise throughout the first nine and still led by one over Stone after both posted front-nine 37s.

The turning point came at the par-5 11th hole, with Blair still one shot ahead. Blair found trouble in a bunker and took a couple of tries to get out and finished with a triple-bogey 8. Meanwhile, Stone chipped her eagle try to within six inches and tapped in for a birdie that gave her a sudden three-stroke edge.

"That was a four-shot swing right there," said Stone.

"I got in a bunker and couldn't get out and basically tore it apart right there," Blair said.

From there, the two matched cards until No. 16, where Stone rolled in a birdie putt, while Blair bogeyed, moving the lead to five shots — the final margin.

Despite finishing second, Blair was happy with her week as one of the youngest contestants at the State Am. "That's a really good accomplishment and I'm pretty proud of that," Blair said. Stone was impressed with Blair and knows her day will come.

"She's a great player at such a young age," she said. "It's not an easy golf course. Just give her some time."