Author: Jesse Dodson
The list of Section events for women continues to grow in Utah with the adding of the Utah Section Women’s Match Play Championship. Played in the 2018 fall season at The Country Club and Alpine Country Club, a bracket of eight Section members competed for the title of first-ever Women’s Match Play Champion.
Emily Copier-Jones, teaching professional at The Country Club, defeated the likes of Bobby Colby, Sadie Palmer and Samantha Crawford to claim the title for 2018.
“I am very thrilled to be the first-ever Utah PGA Women’s Match Play champion,” Jones said, “especially considering the great female golfers who play within the Women’s Section.”
Jones matched up against two of the newest Section members in Palmer of Promontory Country Club and Crawford, who works for the Utah Section and Glenmoor Golf Course.
“Sadie Palmer and I grew up playing Junior Golf together,” Jones continued. “She is a great golfer and I knew I had to play well to beat her. My mindset going into the matches was to be patient and stay calm.”
Jones found herself two-down after 10 holes in her match against Palmer, but sticking to her game plan she won five of the last seven holes to win 3&1 on the 17th hole.
Jones would face Crawford in the championship match. Crawford, who just finished her college playing career at University of Nebraska at Kearney, was the number-one seed going into the event and defeated Utah PGA Operations Director Annie Fisher and Kami Terrion to reach the final match against Jones.
Fittingly, all 18 holes were needed to decide a champion in the final match. Jones won 1-up to become the first Utah PGA Women’s Match Play Champion.
“Sam is a very steady player. She hardly made any mistakes during the round,” Jones said. “Fortunately, I hit my irons pure and made a few birdie putts that helped me come out ahead.
“Being a native to Utah, it’s neat for me to witness firsthand how much women’s golf has grown within the state,” Jones said of the increasing opportunities within the Section. “More and more girls are participating in golf, which has a positive effect on the Women’s PGA Section. I am grateful for the PGA Section and for their continued support with women’s golf in the state of Utah. Even though I spend most of my time teaching others how to play golf, it is fun for me to have the opportunity to compete myself. It’s a privilege to be out on the golf course, playing with fun women and having the thrill of competing.”
Jones plans to play a full 2019 schedule including the Winter Classic, Spring Pro-Pro, Utah Women’s Open, Women’s Match Play Championship and the Section Championship. Along with her tournament schedule, she will continue to teach private, semi-private, small group lessons and run junior programs and women’s clinics at The Country Club in Salt Lake.
2018 Utah Women’s Match Play Championship bracket HERE.