Kaysville • Defending champion Kendra Dalton took the first-round lead in stroke-play qualifying with a 3-under 68 on Tuesday as the 11th Utah Women’s State Amateur began at Davis Park Golf Course.
Dalton, 21, who will be a senior at BYU this fall, won the tournament last year at Victory Ranch Golf Club. On Tuesday, she made a bogey and four birdies to take a two-shot lead over four players tied for second at 70.
That group includes 26-year-old Kelsey Chugg, who won the Women’s Amateur in 2012, 2013 and 2015. Also at 70 are Utah Valley’s Carly Dehlin, former Weber State golfer Xena Motes and BYU golfer Anna Kennedy.
The Wildcats’ Kiselya Plewe is alone in sixth at 71.
The final 18 holes of medal play will be contested Wednesday, and the field will be trimmed to 16 for match play. Two rounds will be played Thursday, paring the field to four. The semifinals will be held Friday morning and the 18-hole championship match is scheduled for Friday afternoon.
Dalton won the Women’s Stroke Play championship two week ago at Glenmoor Golf Course. She defeated BYU teammate Lea Garner, who has since turned pro, in the finals last year.
Provo’s Naomi Soifua, who became the second woman in state history to qualify for the Utah State Amateur last month, shot a 1-over 72 on Tuesday and is tied for seventh place with Annie Yang, a fellow BYU golfer.