Chugg takes home the title in first appearance in event
After Kelsey Chugg opened the first round of stroke play with an 85, her chances of advancing far in match play of the 2017 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship didn’t seem promising.
But the 26-year-old from Salt Lake City kept winning her matches at Champions Golf Club. And on Thursday, she became a national champion.
In the championship match, the 50th seed Chugg defeated Mary Jane Hiestand of Naples, Fla., 3 and 1 on the Cypress Creek Course, which will be the site of the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open.
“I’ve played well in our state amateur and I’ve won that four times in Utah, but by far, this is the coolest thing ever,” Chugg said. “Not (just) in my amateur career, just my life. This is awesome.”
‘Lifelong goal’ achieved
It was Chugg’s first time playing in the MidAmateur, conducted by the United States Golf Association. She made a name for herself nationally with the win and earned it, eliminating two of the three co-medalists — Lauren Greenlief and Marissa Mar — along the way.
Over 93 holes covering four days and six matches, Chugg never trailed after the sixth hole. As champion, she is exempt for next year’s U.S. Women’s Open and has a 10-year exemption in the Mid-Am.
“It’s been a crazy week,” Chugg said. “I can’t believe I pulled it off. It’s incredible. I am so pumped to go to the U.S. Open. That’s been a lifelong goal.”
The 58-year-old Hiestand was playing in her 22nd U.S. Women’s MidAmateur and reached the final for the first time. She was bidding to become the oldest winner by six years. Hiestand had a pair of 1-up wins Tuesday and two 19-hole victories Wednesday.
Neither Chugg, who played golf at Weber State, nor Hiestand won a hole Thursday with a birdie. All the holes were won on pars. The difference was that Chugg made more par putts.
“Putting’s my game,” said Hiestand, the No. 56 seed following two rounds of 79 in stroke play. “For me not to make anything is amazing.”
Chugg, whose biggest lead in the championship match was 4 up, trailed only once. After Hiestand won the first hole, Chugg won the next two holes, but it was the third hole that turned the momentum into Chugg’s favor. On the par-4 No. 3 hole, Chugg drained a 38-foot putt for par.
Two tough obstacles
“She had a similar line,” said Chugg, who is a threetime Utah Golf Association Player of the Year and membership director for the Utah Golf Association. “I saw her ball kind of go down. I was like, I can make this. I said, keep your head down and hit the putt, and it went right in the center.”
In the round of 16 on Tuesday, Chugg ousted 2015 champion Greenlief 3 and 2, and in Wednesday’s semifinals, Chugg took out Mar 3 and 1.
Chugg never needed to play the 18th hole in any of her matches.
“Kudos to her,” Hiestand said. “She’s a real solid player.”