Local golf: BYU's Garner captures medalist honors at Women's State Amateur

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Francis • Former BYU golfer Lea Garner repeated as the medalist in the stroke-play portion of the 110th Utah State Women's Amateur golf tournament on Wednesday with a two-round total of even-par 144 at Victory Ranch Golf Club.

Garner, a Bonneville High product who completed her final season of eligibility at BYU, shot a 69 Wednesday to overtake first-round leader Sadie Palmer, the Southern Utah University assistant golf coach who carded a 68 on Tuesday. Palmer shot a 78 Wednesday, thanks primarily to a triple-bogey on the 128-yard par-3 6th hole and doubles on holes No. 10 and 16.

Garner, who won medalist honors in this tournament last year at Sandy's Hidden Valley Country Club with an 8-under 136, played the back nine in 3-under par to rally for the lowest two-day total. BYU golfer Brooklyn Hocker, overall runner-up last year to former Weber State golfer Kelsey Chugg, placed second in qualifying with a 1-over 145, one shot behind her ex-Cougar teammate.

Hocker, who won the Idaho Women's Amateur by 14 shots in July, eagled the 525-yard par-5 5th hole to jumpstart her round.

Another pre-tournament favorite, Provo High rising senior Naomi Soifua, was disqualified after she signed an incorrect scorecard, a 73, on Tuesday.

Chugg, the defending champion, will be the pre-determined No. 1 seed for match play, which begins Thursday.

Three players — Cobair Collinsworth, Nicole Jones and 13-year-old Apelila Galeai — tied at 16-over 160 for the final match-play berth. Galeai did not return for the playoff, however, and Collinsworth, a Dixie State golfer, advanced with a par on the second playoff hole.

The pairings for Thursday's round of 16 are No. 1 Kelsey Chugg vs. No. 16 Collinsworth (160), No. 8 Lauren Atkinson (154) vs. No. 9 Kiselya Plewe (156), No. 4 Palmer (146) vs. No. 13 Laura Gerner (157) and No. 5 Kendra Dalton (149) vs. No. 12 Tara Green (157) in the upper bracket and No. 2 Garner (144) vs. No. 15 Miranda Reyes (158), No. 7 Tess Blair (151) vs. No. 10 Kerstin Fotu (156), No. 3 Hocker (145) vs. No. 14 Kimberly Nyhus (157)) and No. 6 Carly Dehlin (150) vs. No. 11 Katie Perkins (156) in the lower bracket.