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.

In a matchup of players with strong Colorado connections, Eaton defeated part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy in Tuesday afternoon’s round of 16, 2 and 1 at Wellesley (Mass.) Country Club.

Eaton (pictured in a USGA photo) trailed only once in the match — she was 1 down after the front nine — and finished 3 over par for 17 holes. She parred all eight holes she played on the back nine. Hardy, who’s also been a quarterfinalist in this event, was 5 over par against Eaton, who now lives in Mesa, Ariz.

Eaton won the 10th, 11th and 14th holes with pars to build a lead she wouldn’t relinquish.

In Tuesday morning’s round of 32, Eaton cruised to her second straight 7-and-6 win — this one over Cindy Fentross of West Boylston, Mass. Hardy advanced to the round of 16 with a 5-and-4 victory over Canadian Marie Torti.

In Wednesday’s quarterfinals, Eaton will face Georgia Golf Hall of Fame inductee Laura Coble, of Augusta, Ga., a finalist in the 2009 U.S. Women’s Mid-Am.

Eaton previously reached the U.S. Senior Women’s Am quarterfinals in 2009, 2011 and 2014. She hasn’t yet earned a berth in the semifinals.

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

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

MATCH PLAY 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
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.

Eaton (pictured), a three-time quarterfinalist in this event, scored a 7-and-6 victory Monday over Deborah Anderson of La Quinta, Calif. Eaton, who finished second in the stroke play portion in Wellesley, never trailed and was 1 over par for the 12 holes of the match.

Hardy, a U.S. Senior Women’s quarterfinalist in 2013, posted a 2-up win Monday over Canadian Sandra Turbide. Hardy never trailed but the match was all square through 15 holes before she won the 16th and 18 holes with pars. Hardy was 8 over par for the match.

If both Eaton and Hardy win in the round of 32 on Tuesday morning, they’ll meet in the round of 16 on Tuesday afternoon.

Two Coloradans made match play but lost in Monday’s round of 64. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial fell to defending national champion Karen Garcia of Cool, Calif., 6 and 5. Garcia was even par for the 13 holes of the match, while Moore was 8 over par.

Kathy Malpass of Evergreen, who survived a playoff on Sunday to make match play, lost to fourth-seeded Lisa McGill of Philadelphia, 5 and 4, in a round-of-64 match. McGill was 2 over par for 14 holes, while Malpass was 8 over.

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

MATCH PLAY 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
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.

Hardy, who made it to the quarterfinals of the 2013 U.S. Senior Women’s Am, shot a 2-over-par 76, good for the second-best score of the day from the 132-golfer field. Only Canadian Judith Kyrinis, with her 74, was better than Hardy, who finished with one birdie and three bogeys of the day.

Moore (pictured), a five-time CGA Stroke Play champion, made two birdies in a 4-over-par round of 78, which left her in eighth place going into the final round of stroke play.

After Sunday’s round 2, the top 64 players will advance to match play, which starts on Monday.

Joining Hardy and Moore in the top 64 after round 1 was Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, a three-time quarterfinalist in this event. Eaton carded an 81 on Saturday, which put her in 30th place.

Here are the scores and positions of all the players with strong Colorado ties who are competing in Massachusetts:

2. Part-time Gunninson-area resident Marilyn Hardy 76
8. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Centennial 78
30. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 81
88. Kathy Malpass of Evergreen 87
95. Deb Hughes of Denver 88
105. Bev Hoffenberg of Littleton 89
110. Sue Hartwell of Arvada 90
120. Sandy Young of Monument 94

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