UNLV senior golfer claims Nevada State Women’s Amateur title
Steady and consistent did the trick for McKenzi Hall the first two days of the Nevada State Women’s Amateur.
The UNLV senior then put her foot on the gas with 10 holes remaining in the final round to claim the title at Bear’s Best Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Hall birdied the ninth and 11th holes, then made eagle on the par-5 12th to move to 4 under. She parred in to claim her first state championship.
Hall finished at 4-under 212, good for a four-stroke win over Bishop Gorman junior Samantha Harris. Utah Tech sophomore and former Liberty standout Samantha Phelan was third, another three shots back.
It was a wire-to-wire victory for Hall, who held the lead Monday and Tuesday after even-par 72s both days. Harris caught her Tuesday with a 5-under 67, the low round of the tournament. That turned Wednesday’s final round into a match-play situation.
Hall struck quickly with a birdie on the third hole, while Harris bogeyed Nos. 2 and 3. The lead became three shots and Harris never got closer.
Hall joins a long list of winners of the state’s most important amateur event. LPGA Hall of Famer Patty Sheehan is a four-time winner. Hall’s former UNLV teammate Veronica Joels won three times in four years from 2018-21.
In the Silver division, Ronda Henderson took an 11-shot lead into the final round. Her lead was trimmed to three shots at one point Wednesday, but she rallied for an eight-shot win over Regina Quintero. Henderson, who had the division’s low round with a 71 on Tuesday, blew up to an 80 on Wednesday to finish at 12-over 228 for the week.
Cristy Esposo won the Silver Net division.
The men’s Nevada State Amateur takes place Friday through Sunday at Boulder Creek Golf Club.
Greg Robertson covers golf for the Review-Journal. Reach him at grobertson@reviewjournal.com.
