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118th Women’s State Amateur final matchup: Kelsey Chugg vs. Ali Mulhall

The young golfers keep challenging Kelsey Chugg in the Utah Women’s State Amateur Championship, coming from various schools, states and even other countries.

And as Chugg seeks a sixth title that would put her in even more elite territory in Utah golf history, here’s another fresh face: 19-year-old Ali Mulhall.

With an eye on her prize, Kelsey Chugg will be playing for her 6th Women’s State Amateur title as she takes on Women’s State Am rookie, Ali Mulhall.

After outlasting 2020 winner Grace Summerhays in a 19-hole semifinal match, Mulhall will meet the 33-year-old Chugg in Saturday morning’s 18-hole final at TalonsCove Golf Club in Saratoga Springs.

In her first playing of the historic Women’s State Amateur, Black Desert Resort Athlete Ali Mulhall will face five-time champion Kelsey Chugg.

“The whole week’s been incredible; just trying to keep it going,” said Mulhall, who’s competing for the first time in an event with a 118-year tradition.

Chugg is a big part of that story, with a 37-7 record in match play. Another trophy would move her into a five-way tie for No. 2 all-time, two shy of Bev Nelson’s eight titles, and joining a group of Utah Golf Hall of Fame members.

“It’s exciting; always just want to keep playing,” said Chugg, who works as the associate director of Salt Lake City Golf.

As she competes for another UGA championship trophy, Kelsey Chugg is “very aware” of Bev Nelson’s record of eight State Amateur wins.

A win over Mulhall would be further validation of Chugg’s records, considering the teenager’s phenomenal junior golf success and what she did Friday in overcoming Summerhays.

Mulhall never led until the 19th hole, although she won five holes in regulation and kept responding to the Arizona State star’s attempts to take control. “We pushed each other all day long,” Mulhall said.

Mulhall’s series of great second shots into par-5 holes was capped by a 5-wood on No. 1 that ended up just left of the green. She chipped to within 8 feet and curled in the winning birdie putt.

Ali Mulhall’s bunker play on No.17 at TalonsCove GC, on the shores of Utah Lake, kept her in the match with Grace Summerhays.

She had been 1 down going into the par-3 No. 17, but saved par from a greenside bunker to win the hole. “I knew I had to get it up and down, no matter what,” she said.

Summerhays was hoping to match her brother Preston’s two State Amateur trophies, in what’s likely her last Women’s State Amateur appearance before turning professional in 2025. Summerhays has played in six of the past seven tournaments, with a win, two runner-up finishes and this year’s semifinal effort.

Former champion Grace Summerhays will tee it up next at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Southern Hills Golf Club, then she’ll return to Arizona State University.

Before going 19 holes with Mulhall, Summerhays had needed a total of only 38 to win her first three matches. That included a 7-and-6 win over St. George’s Kate Walker, the only high school golfer in the quarterfinals. Mulhall was a 4-and-3 winner over the University of Tennessee’s Leighton Shosted (formerly of Utah Valley University). Chugg parred No. 17 in a 2-and-1 defeat of Utah Tech’s Jenna Anderson, who’s from Wisconsin. Faith Vui topped Sydney Richards (Summerhays’ cousin) 3 and 2.

Faith Vui lines up a putt at TalonsCove in her semifinal match with Kesley Chugg.

Vui, a Samoan who’s the reigning New Zealand Women’s Amateur champion, won four holes vs. Chugg in the afternoon. But she couldn’t match the veteran’s wedge game as Chugg won 4 and 3.

Utah Women’s State Amateur recap written by Fairways Media senior writer Kurt Kragthorpe. All photography provided by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson.