Kelsey Chugg has become a legend on the course in the Utah Women’s State Amateur, and her dominance is well-earned. A 35-year-old amateur golfer and associate director of golf in Salt Lake City, Chugg has built a reputation as one of the best in match play. Her most recent triumph came on Wednesday at Oakridge Country Club, where she secured a 2-up semifinal win to book her place in the 36-hole championship for the eighth time in 15 appearances.
A battle with a rising star
Chugg will face off against 21-year-old Ashley Lam in the final, a golfer from Taylorsville and a standout at Westminster University. Lam, who played high school golf at Skyline, has already made her mark this season by earning a spot on the WGCA Second Team All-American and All-Region teams. A two-time Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference individual champion, she came one step short of the championship last year when she lost in the semifinals. This time, Lam advanced in a grueling 19-hole match where neither player led by more than a hole for the entire duration.
Chugg’s path to the final
Chugg’s route to the final was no walk in the park. She began her day with a decisive victory over Grace Summerhays, a former state champion from Arizona and a recent graduate of Arizona State. Summerhays had taken nearly nine months off due to wrist injuries before returning to competition, and she was looking to become the first player in the tournament’s history to beat Chugg twice in match play. Chugg, however, proved too strong, winning by 2 up with a crucial birdie on the 18th hole.
Earlier in the day, Chugg had already pushed through a tough semifinal against Rylee Salome. Salome, a player from New Mexico State, had previously beaten BYU’s Whitney Banz 1 up in the quarterfinals. The match between Chugg and Salome was tightly contested, with Chugg going 4 under par over 17 holes while Salome was 2 under par. Chugg’s resilience and tactical play allowed her to edge out Salome 2 and 1, setting up her return to the championship match.
Chugg’s overall State Am record is 45-8, and she holds a 6-1 record in championship matches across her 15 appearances. With this latest win, she now aims for her seventh title, while Lam seeks her first in Thursday’s match, which is set to start at 7:30 a.m.