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Senior Women’s State Amateur: Former winner Nuny Khamken takes the lead
Nuny Khamken won the Utah Senior Women’s State Amateur title in her first attempt two years ago, with seven-time champion Annette Gaiotti as her caddie in the final match.
2023 champion, Nuny Khamken
The two friends, who are 20 years apart in age, became the biggest stories Wednesday at Mountain Dell Golf Course (Lake) as the 33rd edition of the tournament started.
Khamken played the last six holes in 1 under par to take the lead with a 77 (6 over). She enters Thursday’s final round of stroke play one shot ahead of Gaiotti, who returned home this week after competing in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur in Virginia.
Gaiotti matched Khamken’s three birdies in the opening round, overcoming a double bogey on the par-4 No. 8. An eighth title would give the 72-year-old Park City resident a tie with Bev Nelson (Women’s State Amateur) for the most all-time wins in a single Utah Golf Association event.
Seven time champion, Annette Gaiotti
Eight golfers will advance to the quarterfinals in a format that awards prizes for 36 holes of stroke play in three flights, with the overall champion determined by match play.
Even after a rough back nine of 44 on Wednesday, Kareen Larson, the reigning UGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year, stands third at 80. Carrie Langevin is fourth at 83 and there’s a four-way tie for fifth at 84 among Leslie Henry, Nancy Beck, Kris Buchanan and Steph Belnap, the leader in this year’s Player Performance Rankings.
Belnap remains inside the cut line, despite playing a seven-hole stretch of the back nine in 8 over par. Mona Stevens and Tricia Good are next at 85.
Arizona resident Robin Krapfl, the 2024 champion, is not competing this week after playing in the U.S. Senior Women’s Am. Roberta Scott, the runner-up each of the last two years, also is not entered.
The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played Friday and the 18-hole final match is scheduled Saturday morning.
Click here for stroke play opening round leaderboards.
Utah Senior Women’s State Amateur opening round feature written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. Photo credit: Fairways Media.