Benton Q’s For U.S. Women’s Amateur

June 29, 2017

PHOENIX – University of Arkansas rising junior Kaylee Benton punched her ticket to the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship with a first-place finish in a qualifying event on Wednesday at Dove Valley Ranch Golf Course.

The win propelled Benton on to the 2017 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship set for Aug. 7-13 at San Diego Country Club.

Benton fired a single round 2-under 70, earning medalist honors by one stroke. She was one of two competitors in the 45-player field to shoot under par in the round.

Benton was coming off a Monday qualifying appearance at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G last week. She played to a 1-over 72 against the professionals who were all vying for entry into the event at Pinnacle Country Club.

A member of the Southeastern Conference First-Year Academic Honor Roll, Benton got out of the gates quickly at Dove Valley. She opened with back-to-back par holes followed by a birdie on the par-3 No. 3 and an eagle on the par-4 271-yard fourth hole.

Benton went on to pick up a birdie on No. 11 and dropped two strokes with a double bogey on No. 16 in an otherwise clean scorecard.

This will be Benton’s second U.S. Women’s Amateur appearance. Benton played in 2016 shooting 79-77=156 and missing the cut for match play at Rolling Green Golf Club, in Springfield, Pennsylvania. This is the 15th consecutive year the Razorbacks will be represented at the U.S. Women’s Amateur.