Both players qualified this year for the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open. They both made match play and advanced to the round of 32 at last month’s U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. And this week, they both scored match-play berths in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur in Vero Beach, Fla.

But on Tuesday, their hopes for a national title ended — Moore in the round of 32 and Hardy in the round of 16. (The two are pictured, with Hardy at left.)

Hardy, a part-time Gunnison resident who was seeded seventh after the stroke-play portion of the event, fell 3 and 2 in the Sweet 16 to 10th-seeded Lara Tennant of Portland, Ore. Hardy never led in the match — the second for her on Tuesday — as Tennant made five birdies in 16 holes. Hardy was 4 over for the match. (Oct. 12 Update: Tennant went on to win the national title.)

Earlier Tuesday, Hardy went 19 holes to defeat Lynne Cowan of Rocklin, Calif., in the round of 32. Hardy was 2 up through 16, but Cowan won 17 with a birdie and 18 with a par before Hardy closed out the match with a winning par on the 19th hole. Hardy finished that match 2 over par through the 19 holes.

For Moore, the Colorado Golf Hall of Famer from Centennial lost in her second match of the Senior Am, as she had two weeks ago in the U.S. Mid-Amateur. On Tuesday, the defeat came at the hands of one of the most accomplished players in the field, Ellen Port of St. Louis, who scored a 6-and-4 victory.

Moore started out strongly against Port, who’s not only a seven-time USGA champion — including a three-time winner of this event — but a friend of Moore. The Coloradan was all square with Port through seven holes, and stood 1 under par at that point.

But things turned in a hurry as Port won the next five holes and six of the next seven to clinch the victory. During that stretch, Port made four birdies and three pars.

Port finished 5 under par for 14 holes, but later in the day lost in the round of 16. Moore was 5 over total vs. Port, with the four holes from 9-12 proving costly as she was 6 over in that stretch.

Here are the results for the players with strong Colorado ties who competed in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur:

MATCH PLAY
Tuesday’s Round of 16
Lara Tennant, Portland, Ore., def. Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison, 3 and 2

Tuesday’s Round of 32
Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison, def. Lynne Cowan, Rocklin, Calif., 19 holes
Ellen Port, St. Louis, def. Janet Moore, Centennial, 6 and 4.

Monday’s Round of 64
Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison, def. Lynda Wimberly, Brentwood, Tenn., 3 and 1
Janet Moore, Centennial, def. Jackie Little, Canada, 2 and 1
Leigh Klasse, Cumberland, Wis., def. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, 8 and 7

STROKE PLAY (Saturday and Sunday)
Advance to Match Play
6. Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison 75-73–148
35. Janet Moore, Centennial 77-80–157
46. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79-81–160
Failed to Advance to Match Play
Kristine Franklin, Broomfield 86-77–163 (lost in playoff)
Kathy West, Castle Pines 83-83–166
Tiffany Maurycy, Denver 81-88–169
Helene Afeman, Colorado Springs 88-86–174
Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs 88-87–175
Deb Pearson, Colorado Springs 98-99–197

For all the results, CLICK HERE.
 

Both golfers never trailed on Monday in posting victories in their opening-round matches in Vero Beach, Fla.

Moore, a Colorado Golf Hall of Famer from Centennial, posted a 2-and-1 victory over Canadian Jackie Little. And Hardy, the part-time Gunnison resident who was seeded seventh after stroke play, scored a 3-and-a win over Lynda Wimberly of Brentwood, Tenn.

Meanwhile, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton ran into a buzzsaw in opponent/friend Leigh Klasse of Cumberland, Wis., who won 8 and 7, tying the largest margin of victory in the championship’s history. Klasse was 6 under par through the 11 holes of the match. It also didn’t help that Eaton, who has gone to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Senior Women’s Am four times, wasn’t on her game as she had two double bogeys, two bogeys and an “X” in those 11 holes.

While Eaton faced a friend in the round of 64, Moore will do so in the round of 32 — Ellen Port of St. Louis. Port, a seven-time USGA champion and three-time winner of this event who’s seeded fourth in Vero Beach, recorded a 3-and-1 victory Monday over Fay Chen of Huntington Beach, Calif.

In Moore’s Monday match, she won the first three holes — with a birdie and two pars — and never gave up her lead, though Little was just 1 down after 13. But Moore won 14 with a par, then halved the remaining three holes for the victory. Moore was 5 over par through the 17 holes of the match.

Hardy’s match was similar as she never trailed and was only all square after two holes — 3 and 5. Hardy was only 1 up through 12, but won No. 13 with a par and 17 with a birdie to close out the match. Hardy finished 2 over par for 17 holes.

Hardy will face Lynne Cowan of Rocklin, Calif., in Tuesday’s round of 32.

Here are the results for the players with strong Colorado ties competing in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur:

MATCH PLAY
Monday’s Round of 64
Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison, def. Lynda Wimberly, Brentwood, Tenn., 3 and 1
Janet Moore, Centennial, def. Jackie Little, Canada, 2 and 1
Leigh Klasse, Cumberland, Wis., def. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, 8 and 7

STROKE PLAY (Saturday and Sunday)
Advance to Match Play
6. Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison 75-73–148
35. Janet Moore, Centennial 77-80–157
46. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79-81–160
Failed to Advance to Match Play
Kristine Franklin, Broomfield 86-77–163 (lost in playoff)
Kathy West, Castle Pines 83-83–166
Tiffany Maurycy, Denver 81-88–169
Helene Afeman, Colorado Springs 88-86–174
Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs 88-87–175
Deb Pearson, Colorado Springs 98-99–197

For all the results, CLICK HERE.
 

Part-time Gunnison resident Marilyn Hardy, Janet Moore of Centennial and fellow Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton are in the 64-person match-play bracket for sure. And Kristine Franklin of Broomfield will need to survive a 7-for-1 playoff on Monday morning to advance at Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club (left).

Hardy shot a 1-over-par 73 on Sunday and tied for sixth place in the stroke-play portion of the event with a 4-over 148 total. She finished five strokes behind medalist Pamela Kuong of Wellesley Hills, Mass.

Moore carded a second-round 80 to check in at 157, good for a share of 35th place. Moore and Hardy both made the round of 32 at last month’s U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, and they both qualified for the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open over the summer.

Meanwhile, Eaton, a four-time quarterfinalist in the Senior Women’s Am, placed 46th in stroke play this time around with a 160 total after a second-round 81.

Franklin, who made match play in this event last year, posted a 77 on Sunday for a 163 total, leaving her in a seven-way tie for 64th place.

Here are the scores for the players with strong Colorado ties competing in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur:

Advance to Match Play
6. Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison 75-73–148
35. Janet Moore, Centennial 77-80–157
46. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79-81–160
In Playoff for Final Match-Play Berth
64. Kristine Franklin, Broomfield 86-77–163
Failed to Advance to Match Play
Kathy West, Castle Pines 83-83–166
Tiffany Maurycy, Denver 81-88–169
Helene Afeman, Colorado Springs 88-86–174
Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs 88-87–175
Deb Pearson, Colorado Springs 98-99–197

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Marilyn Hardy, a part-time resident of Gunnison, shot a 3-over-par 75 on Saturday at Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club, leaving her in a tie for 12th place heading into Sunday’s final round of stroke play. She made two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey on Saturday.

And Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial carded a first-round 77, putting her in 23rd place. She carded 14 pars, three bogeys and an opening-hole double bogey in round 1.

The top 64 players after 36 holes will advance to match play, which begins on Monday.

Also in the top 64 after Saturday are Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton (37th place at 79) and Tiffany Maurycy of Denver (59th place at 81). Eaton is a four-time quarterfinalist in this national championship.

Here are the scores for the players with strong Colorado ties competing in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur:

12. Marilyn Hardy, Gunnison 75
23. Janet Moore, Centennial 77
37. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79
59. Tiffany Maurycy, Denver 81
85. Kathy West, Castle Pines 83
107. Kristine Franklin, Broomfield 86
113 Jennifer Hocking, Colorado Springs 88
113. Helene Afeman, Colorado Springs 88
131. Deb Pearson, Colorado Springs 98

For all the scores, CLICK HERE.
 

Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, a four-time quarterfinalist in the national Senior Women’s Am, earned medalist honors in qualifying in Scottsdale, Ariz., by shooting a 72 on Tuesday. And Kathy West of Castle Pines Golf Club also landed a spot at that site, posting a 79.

The Country Club of Colorado in Colorado Springs will host the Colorado-based qualifier for the event on Monday after the tournament was moved from the nearby Broadmoor because of hail damage. In Colorado Springs, 29 golfers will be vying for the seven spots in the U.S. Senior Women’s Am, which is set for Oct. 6-11 at Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club in Vero Beach, Fla. That will mark the final USGA championship of 2018.

Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial, who has qualfiied for every U.S. Senior Women’s Am for which she’s been eligible, will be in the field at the Country Club of Colorado. This year, she’s already competed in the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open, and she’s also qualified for the upcoming U.S. Women’s Mid-Am, which will be her 27th USGA championship.

Also scheduled to play on Monday are fellow 2017 U.S. Senior Women’s Am competitors Kristine Franklin of Broomfield, Susan Hartwell of Arvada, Marilyn Hardy of Gunnison, Kathy Malpass of Evergreen, Sandra Bickel of La Porte and Lisa Lee of Longmont.

Hartwell, Eaton and Franklin made match play at last year’s national championship, with Eaton and Hartwell advancing to the round of 32. So far in 2018, Franklin has won the CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play and fellow Monday competitor Tiffany Maurycy of Denver claimed the title in the CGA Women’s Senior Match Play.

For Monday’s tee times, CLICK HERE.

Eaton, who last year advanced to the quarterfinals for the fourth time in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, lost 2 and 1 on Tuesday in the round of 32 to fellow former University of New Mexico golfer Tara Fleming of Jersey City, N.J. And Hartwell, competing in just her second USGA championship, also saw her run end in the round of 32 as 2010 national champion Mina Hardin of Mexico defeated her 7 and 6.

(Eaton and Hartwell are pictured together, with Eaton at left.)

Eaton, winner last month of her fifth CWGA Senior Stroke Play title, was 2 up after three holes against Fleming, a former LPGA Tour player who competed in four U.S. Women’s Opens. Eaton was still 1 up through 10, but Fleming won the 11th hole with a par and the 15th with a bogey, then closed things out with a birdie on No. 17. After being even-par through nine holes, Eaton finished 4 over for the match.

A day after Hartwell won her first match 8 and 6 — tying the second-largest margin of victory in this event’s history — Hardin turned the tables. The former champion was 1 up through four, then won six of the next eight holes to win the match on the 12th green. Hardin birdied her last two holes and was even-par overall for the match. Hartwell finished 9 over par for 12 holes.

Here are the Senior Women’s Am results for all the players with strong Colorado ties:

MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 32
Tara Fleming of Jersey City, N.J., def. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, 2 and 1
Mina Hardin of Mexico def. Susan Hartwell, Arvada, 7 and 6

MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 64
Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton def. Pamela Kuong of Wellesley Hills, Mass., 4 and 2
Carolyn Creekmore of Dallas def. Kristine Franklin of Broomfield, 5 and 4
Susan Hartwell of Arvada def. Mimi Hoffman of Springfield, Va., 8 and 6

STROKE PLAY
Advance to Match Play
17. Susan Hartwell of Arvada 78-77–155
25. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79-77–156
31. Kristine Franklin of Broomfield 75-83–158
Failed to Make Match Play
66. Part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy 78-86–164
100. Kathy Malpass of Evergreen 87-84–171
104. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Christie Austin of Denver 83-89–172
110. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial 85-88–173
123. Sandra Bickel of La Porte 93-85–178
125. Lisa Lee of Longmont 90-90–180
130. Sue Davis of Aurora 99-95–194

For all the results from the Senior Women’s Am, CLICK HERE.

Susan Hartwell of Arvada, seeded 22nd in the 64-person match play bracket, cruised to an 8 and 6 victory over Mimi Hoffman of Springfield, Va. And Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton (pictured), who’s made it to the final eight four times in this event, joined Hartwell in the round of 32 by posting a 4 and 2 win over Pamela Kuong of Wellesley Hills, Mass., the 2015 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur runner-up.

But Kristine Franklin of Broomfield saw her run end in the round of 64, falling 5 and 4 to Carolyn Creekmore of Dallas, the 2004 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur champion.

Hartwell, a co-medalist in Colorado-based qualifying for this championship, won five of the first seven holes on Monday and never looked back. She finished 1 over par through the 12 holes of the match, making two birdies in the process.

Eaton, who last month won her fifth CWGA Senior Stroke Play title, similarly vaulted out to a quick start, standing 5 up through nine holes. She was 4 over through 16 holes, finishing things off with a birdie-2.

Franklin, the 1986 CWGA Stroke Play champion, was 2 down through eight holes, then Creekmore won the next four. Franklin was 12 over for the 14 holes.

On Tuesday, the round of 32 and round of 16 will be contested. In the round of 32, Eaton will face fifth-seeded Tara Fleming of Jersey City, N.J. Hartwell will take on Mina Hardin of Mexico, the 2010 U.S. Senior Women’s Am champ.

Here are the results of all the players with strong Colorado ties:

MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 64
Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton def. Pamela Kuong of Wellesley Hills, Mass., 4 and 2
Carolyn Creekmore of Dallas def. Kristine Franklin of Broomfield, 5 and 4
Susan Hartwell of Arvada def. Mimi Hoffman of Springfield, Va., 8 and 6

STROKE PLAY
ADVANCE TO MATCH PLAY
17. Susan Hartwell of Arvada 78-77–155
25. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79-77–156
31. Kristine Franklin of Broomfield 75-83–158
FAILED TO MAKE MATCH PLAY
66. Part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy 78-86–164
100. Kathy Malpass of Evergreen 87-84–171
104. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Christie Austin of Denver 83-89–172
110. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial 85-88–173
123. Sandra Bickel of La Porte 93-85–178
125. Lisa Lee of Longmont 90-90–180
130. Sue Davis of Aurora 99-95–194

For all the results from the Senior Women’s Am, CLICK HERE.

Susan Hartwell of Arvada, Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton and Kristine Franklin of Broomfield made the grade by finishing among the top 64 in the stroke-play portion of the event, which concluded on Sunday. Match play will begin on Monday.

Hartwell placed 17th out of 132 players, while Eaton was 25th and Franklin 31st.

Hartwell, the co-medalist in Colorado-based qualifying for this event, shot a 5-over-par 77 on Sunday that left her at 11-over 155 overall. Hartwell parred her first nine holes before playing her next five in 5 over, then parring her last four.

Eaton, a quarterfinalist in this championship four times, also posted a 77 on Sunday, checking in at 156. She finished with one birdie, four bogeys and a double bogey in round 2.

Franklin, the 1986 CWGA Stroke Play champion when she was known as Kris Hoos, built a big enough cushion on Saturday to make it to match play despite shooting eight strokes higher on Sunday. She went 75-83 for a 158 total.

In very difficult scoring conditions, the best stroke-play total was 2-over-par 146, shot by co-medalists Lara Tennant of Portland and Helene Chartrand of Canada.

Here are the scores for the players with strong Colorado ties:

ADVANCE TO MATCH PLAY
17. Susan Hartwell of Arvada 78-77–155
25. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79-77–156
31. Kristine Franklin of Broomfield 75-83–158

FAILED TO MAKE MATCH PLAY
66. Part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy 78-86–164
100. Kathy Malpass of Evergreen 87-84–171
104. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Christie Austin of Denver 83-89–172
110. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial 85-88–173
123. Sandra Bickel of La Porte 93-85–178
125. Lisa Lee of Longmont 90-90–180
130. Sue Davis of Aurora 99-95–194

 
For all the scores from the Senior Women’s Am, CLICK HERE.

Kristine Franklin of Broomfield, who won the CWGA Stroke Play in 1986 when she was known as Kris Hoos, was 3 over par after two holes at Waverley Country Club in Portland, Ore., but played her final 11 holes in 1 under to shoot a 3-over 75. That leaves her in third place out of 132 players with one day left in the stroke-play portion of the championship. She trails leader Lara Tennant of Portland by two strokes.

The top 64 players after Sunday’s second round will advance to match play, which begins on Monday.

Three other players with strong Colorado connections are also in the top 64 after Saturday’s first round: Susan Hartwell of Arvada (78, 23rd place), part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy (78, 23rd place) and Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, a four-time quarterfinalist in this event (79, 34th place.)

Here are the scores for the players with strong Colorado ties:

3. Kristine Franklin of Broomfield 75
23. Part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy 78
23. Susan Hartwell of Arvada 78
34. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 79
79. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Christie Austin of Denver 83
96. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial 85
109. Kathy Malpass of Evergreen 87
117. Lisa Lee of Longmont 90
126. Sandra Bickel of La Porte 93
130. Sue Davis of Aurora 99

For all the scores from the Senior Women’s Am, CLICK HERE.

But that quarterfinal hurdle has proven to be a giant one for the 57-year-old Greeley native.

Eaton (pictured) will have to wait for another year to try to overcome that hurdle for the first time as on Wednesday she fell to 0-4 in quarterfinals at this national championship.

This time, at Wellesley (Mass.) Country Club, Eaton lost in the quarters to Georgia Golf Hall of Famer Laura Coble of Augusta, 3 and 2. Seven years ago, Coble defeated Eaton in the round of 32 en route to finishing runner-up in the 2009 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur.

Eaton never led Wednesday against Coble, a six-time Georgia State Women’s Amateur champion. Coble parred the first 13 holes of the match and was 4 up at that point before Eaton won her only hole of the day, with a par on No. 14. The players then halved No. 15 with bogeys and No. 16 with pars to wrap things up.

Coble, who won the first three holes on Wednesday, finished 2 over par for 16 holes. Eaton, who finished second in the stroke-play portion of the national championship, was 6 over par for the day.

By making it to the quarters, Eaton will be exempt from qualifying for the 2017 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.

Eaton previously reached the Senior Women’s Am quarterfinals in 2009, 2011 and 2014.

Here are the results of all the players with strong Colorado ties who competed in Massachusetts:

MATCH PLAY QUARTERFINALS
Laura Coble of Augusta, Ga. def. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, 3 and 2

ROUND OF 16
Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton def. part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy, 2 and 1

ROUND OF 32
Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton def. Cindy Fentross of West Boylston, Mass., 7 and 6
Part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy def. Marie Torti of Canada, 5 and 4

ROUND OF 64
Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton def. Deborah Anderson of La Quinta, Calif., 7 and 6
Part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy def. Sandra Turbide of Canada, 2 up
Lisa McGill of Philadelphia def. Kathy Malpass of Evergreen, 5 and 4
Karen Garcia of Cool, Calif., def. Janet Moore of Centennial, 6 and 5

STROKE PLAY
Advanced to Match Play
2. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 81-72–153
9. Part-time Gunninson-area resident Marilyn Hardy 76-81–157
27. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial 78-83–161
61. Kathy Malpass of Evergreen 87-81–168

Failed to Advance to Match Play
75. Deb Hughes of Denver 88-83–171
97. Bev Hoffenberg of Littleton 89-85–174
101. Sue Hartwell of Arvada 90-85–175
122. Sandy Young of Monument 94-90–184

For all the scores from the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, CLICK HERE.