Pair With Utah Ties Survive Opening Round At Copper Rock Championship

HURRICANE, Utah – A pair of women with local ties have survived the opening round at the Copper Rock Championship with former BYU Women’s Golf star Kendra Dalton enters the second round in contention.

Kendra Dalton

Dalton began her round early in the day and found trouble on the short par 4 3rd hole. She drove the ball into the left rough, then into the greenside rough, and ultimately made bogey.

She remained at one-over-par for a number of holes, despite multiple looks at birdie. Her putter was cold.

Former @byuwgolf star Kendra Dalton is off at the Copper Rock Championship. Her drive went right up the middle of the first fairway. @ROAD2LPGA pic.twitter.com/nLBt4jFKDm

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 22, 2021

Eventually, Dalton capitalized on her splendid ball striking and made back-to-back birdies on holes 12 and 13 to get herself into red digits. On both holes, she left herself with less than 10 feet putts at birdie.

The confidence was evidently growing as her family and friends followed her every move.

However, the long par 4 18th holes were problematic for Dalton who found trouble up the left-hand side. She chipped back into the fairway as she had no shot towards the pin and was still left with 200 yards to the green.

Her approach ricocheted off the grandstand and into the rough. Her par chip then ran through the green. Two putts later and Dalton was in for double bogey. Besides the chaotic 18th hole, Dalton put together a tremendous round of golf.

Haley Sturgeon

Haley Sturgeon was the other player with local ties. The former Dixie State University standout was granted a sponsor exemption to participate. She teed off at noon and immediately made bogey’s on holes one and three to find herself at two-over-par.

But with her father on the bag, the duo settled.

A final front nine bogey fell on the ninth hole and she made the turn at three-over-par.

We caught up with former @DixieWGolf star Haley Sturgeon who is +2 thru 7. She received a sponsors exemption into the Copper Rock Championship. pic.twitter.com/S69cdduqlq

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 22, 2021

As the round progressed, the howling winds out of the southwest grew. Scoring became much more difficult and Sturgeon suffered.

A bogey on 14, a double bogey on 16, and a final bogey on 17, and Sturgeon concluded with a final score of 79, 7-over-par.

Chasing The Leaders

The duo is chasing Bailey Tardy and Natalie Sheary who shot a six-under-par, 66, and are tied atop the leaderboard entering the second round.

Tee times for the second round are yet to be announced.