2023 quarterfinalist Parker Edens ties for 3rd in stroke play at U.S. Mid-Am; 2024 CGA Am champ Colin Prater rallies to give himself shot at match play; Marilyn Hardy, Kim Eaton advance at U.S. Senior Women’s Am
By Gary Baines – 9/22/2024
The USGA is holding two of its national amateur championships simultaneously, roughly 2,900 miles apart.
And on Sunday, after two days of stroke play at each event, one player with strong Colorado ties is a lock to advance to match play and another is looking good to move on at the U.S. Mid-Amateur near Richmond, Va. Meanwhile, two players with strong ties to the Centennial State landed spots in match play at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur in Seattle.
— U.S. Mid-Amateur: A year after making it to the quarterfinals in this championship, Parker Edens, who grew up in Greeley and played and coached at Colorado State, tied for third out of 264 players in the stroke-play portion of U.S. Mid-Am. Meanwhile, Colin Prater of Colorado Springs, who played in the U.S. Open this year and won the CGA Amateur for the third time, rallied over his final eight holes on Sunday to give himself good odds to make match play.
Edens made it to the final eight in last year’s national Mid-Am before falling in the quarterfinals Stewart Hagestad, who would go on to win his third U.S. Mid-Amateur. This weekend, he went 69-65 in stroke play for a 7-under-par total, which left him a stroke back of co-medalists Segundo Oliva Pinto and Evan Beck. Edens made seven birdies and a bogey in Sunday’s round.
Prater, the 2023 CGA Player of the Year, tied for 53rd place in stroke play and will participate in a 14 players-for-12 spots playoff early Monday morning. Should he prevail, he’ll tee it up later Monday in a round-of-64 match.
After shooting a 72 on Saturday, Prater bogeyed three of his first five holes on Sunday and needed a big rally on his back nine to keep his hopes alive for playing on Monday. Specifically, he played his final eight holes of stroke play in 3 under par to shoot an even-par 70. Birdies on his final two holes left him at 1 over par for 36 holes.
Scores for players with strong Colorado ties at the U.S. Mid-Amateur in Virginia:
Advances to Match Play
3. Former Greeley resident and ex-CSU golfer and coach Parker Edens 69-65–134
In Monday Playoff for Final 12 Spots into Match Play
53. Colin Prater, Coloradp Springs 72-70–142
Failed to Advance to Match Play
92. Former CSU golfer Bryce Hanstad 72-73–145
157. Ryan Axlund, Englewood 74-75–149
157. Sam Marley, Centennial 75-74–149
177. Jay Livsey, Lakewood 78-72–150
243. Anthony Syrko, Lakewood 79-78–157
264. Will Panella, Denver 82-88–170
For all the scores from the Mid-Am, CLICK HERE.
— U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur: Part-time Gunnison resident Marilyn Hardy rebounded from a first-round 86 with a 2-over-par 72 on Sunday to secure a spot in the 64-player match-play portion of the event. Joining her in advancing was Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, who posted back-to-back 79s.
Both Hardy, the CGA Women’s Senior Player of the Year in both 2022 and ’23, and Eaton, who’s earned that award eight times, finished stroke play at 18 over par for two rounds, That was good for a tie for 40th place.
Hardy and Eaton will compete in the round of 64 on Monday.
Scores for players with strong Colorado ties at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur in Seattle:
Advance to Match Play
40. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79-79—158
40. Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison 86-72–158
Failed to Advance to Match Play
82. Stacey Arnold, Westminster 84-81–165
82. Part-time Castle Pines resident Kathy West 84-81–165
111. Haejeong Son, Castle Rock 92-80—172
117. Kathleen Johnson, Broomfield 89-84–173
For all the scores from Seattle, CLICK HERE.
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com