Barker Medals at 114th PNGA Women’s Amateur Qualifying; Elston Earns Medal at 14th Women’s Mid-Amateur
Gabrielle Barker of Caldwell, Idaho shot a blistering 5-under par 66 in her second round to earn medalist honors in the stroke-play qualifying at the 114th Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur; while Lani Elston of Milwaukie, Ore. put together another solid round to take the medal in the 14th Pacific Northwest Women’s Mid-Amateur.
After 36 holes of stroke-play qualifying, both players have earned the No. 1 seed in their respective championships heading into the single-elimination match-play portion of the championships.
The field for the Women’s Amateur has been cut to the low 32 players who now advance to match play. The international field includes players representing California, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Washington, British Columbia, New Zealand and the Philippines.
The two championships are being held concurrently at BanBury Golf Course in Eagle, Idaho, and are conducted by the Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA).
For tee times, match-play bracket and to follow along with live scoring, visit www.thepnga.org.
Barker, who recently won the 2015 Idaho State Women’s Amateur for the second time (she also won it in 2013) and just finished her freshman year playing for the Texas Tech University women’s golf team, shot a solid 3-under par 68 in yesterday’s first round, but then simply caught fire during today’s second round with four consecutive birdies on the front nine. She added two more on the back nine, getting to 6-under for the day before a lone bogey on the par-3 14th hole.
Other notables who advance to match play are Princess Mary Superal of the Philippines, the reigning U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur champion; Gigi Stoll of Tigard, Ore., the 2014 and 2015 Women’s Oregon Amateur champion and 2014 PNGA Women’s Player of the Year; and Alivia Brown of Gig Harbor, Wash., champion of the 2015 Washington State Women’s Amateur.
Elston played well in yesterday’s first round, but struggled out of the gate in today’s second round, going 4-over par after 10 holes. “Yesterday was steady – fairway and green, fairway and green – while today was a little more adventurous,” she said with a laugh. “I managed to hit balls into different areas. It was a learning experience. But then I managed to play a little better on the back nine.” Elston birdied both par-3s on the back nine. She has earned a bye in tomorrow’s opening round of match play.
First held in 1899, the Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur Championship is one of the oldest amateur golf championships in the world. Past champions include Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Famers who made up the Golden Age of female golfers in the Northwest such as JoAnne Gunderson Carner, Jo Ann Washam, Pat Lesser Harbottle, Edean Ihlanfeldt, Violet Pooly Sweeney, Marcia Fisher, and Betty Jean Hulteng, among others. Past champions also include many others who would later go on to the LPGA Tour, such as Jimin Kang, Peggy Conley, Ruth Jessen and Shirley Englehorn.
BanBury Golf Course is located just outside of Boise in Eagle, Idaho. The course has a long connection with the PNGA after hosting several PNGA championships, as well as the 2005 U.S. Girls’ Junior Amateur. The course’s architect, John Harbottle III, was the son of Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Famers, Dr. John and Patricia Harbottle.
