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SALT LAKE CITY — South Jordan native and former Bingham High golf standout Tess Blair fell in the round of 32 play at the 121st U.S. Women's Amateur in Rye, New York, Thursday.
The event comes four months after Blair won both the individual and team titles at the 2021 Big Sky Women's Golf Championship for Sacramento State as a sophomore.
For Blair to participate in the U.S. Women's Amateur, she had to place in the top 8 at a qualifying event held at Bear Creek Golf Course in Murrieta, California, in July. She managed to successfully place second after shooting a 3-under-par 69, only behind University of Denver senior Alyson Bean.
During stroke play at the U.S. Amateur event, Blair shot a two-day 147 after carding a 72 during round one and a 3-over-par 75 during round two. She made the cut placing 40th and qualified for match play. In the round of 64 play, she faced Women's Golf Coaches Association honorable mention All-American and member of the 2021 Ole Miss NCAA title team Kennedy Swann.
Through the first four holes, Blair and Swann were tied in the head-to-head matchup. Blair changed the course of the round after she won four of the next five holes, tying the other. The women, again, went back and forth tying the next five holes when Blair eventually birdied and won the 15th hole, ending the round. This gave Blair the 5 and 3 and upset win.
U.S. Women's Amateur:
— Randy Dodson (@RandyatFairways) August 4, 2021
Tess Blair (with father/caddie Bobby Blair) moves on to the match play round of 32 with a 5 and 3 win over Kennedy Swann. Blair won 4 of the last 5 holes on the front 9 and then closed out the match with a birdie on the par 4 15th. Photo @USGA Kathryn Riley pic.twitter.com/iFJejzPddY
In the round of 32 play, Blair faced off against Canadian and Auburn University commit Katie Cranston. Cranston played a better round and recorded a par or better on the first 11 holes and 12 of the 14 total holes played. Blair attempted a comeback after being down 7 following hole 11 as she won the two next holes. But Cranston proved to be too much during the round and received the 5 and 4 win.
Blair will continue her college career and return to Sacramento State where she will look to retain her Big Sky Conference individual and team titles next season.
