by By Parker Robinson
NAMPA- Thursday began the 83rd playing of the Idaho Women’s State Amateur at Ridgecrest Golf Club. Twenty-one of the state’s best women golfers began the 54-hole tournament vying for the championship. An excellent day provided exceptional scoring conditions for the competitors.
Gabrielle Barker (Shoshone/Paiute) , a Texas Tech Red Raider, found her stride in the first round of the championship. Barker, a two time Champion (2013 & 2015), is playing her first IGA Championship since winning the IGA/TimberStone Matchplay earlier in the year. Barker paired four birdies with two rounds for a first round total of 70.
Tara Finigan finished the first round trailing Barker by two shots. Finigan tallied three bogeys and three bogeys to finish round one at even. Kinsley Bonfilio followed behind Finigan with a one-over par 73. To round out the top five Hannah Drake and Carson Pickett each recorded a score of 74. For the full leaderboard of the Idaho Women’s State Amateur Championship visit the Tournament page HERE.
The Idaho Women’s Classic, a 36-hole tournament concurrent to the championship, also began at Ridgecrest. Brenda Pickett sits atop the leaderboard of the Classic after the first round. Pickett shot a six-over par 78 to give herself a three shot lead over Danielle Doerflein. The Idaho Women’s Classic Champion will be crowned on Friday. For the Classic’s full leaderboard visit the tournament page
