Carter Wins Kentucky State Amateur Championship

Murray State's Payton Carter won the 2022 Kentucky Women's Amateur Championship and former Racer Jessica Widman-Grace took home the Mid-Am Division title in Georgetown, Ky.

The Murray State women's golf program was well represented with six current student-athletes competing in the 95^th staging of the women's event at Cherry Blossom Golf Club.

Carter, from Henderson, who has one more year to play for the Racers, defeated defending champion Rylea Marcum, a player at Eastern Kentucky 2 & 1 in the championship match Wednesday morning. Carter fell behind 2-0 after three holes, but made back-to-back birdies to square the match through five holes. She took the lead on the seventh hole, but the match was tied again after 15 holes which set up a dramatic finish. On the par-3 16^th, Carter made par to win the hole and then she closed out the match victory with an 18-foot birdie at the par-5 17^th.

Carter played the 17 holes of the championship match at 6-under par and hit all 17 greens in regulation. She and Marcum combined for 11 birdies in the title match.

"I knew I had to make birdies all day to beat Rylea," Carter told the Kentucky Golf association. "I focused on one shot at a time throughout the day; hit the fairway, hit the green, make the putt. Rylea didn't miss a putt to start the day, but I was able to get a few holes on her and hold on. It's been a great year, and this win just adds to it. I'm thankful for the amazing golf I've been able to play and for the opportunity to be the champion of this event."

It took some great play just for Carter to make the finals. In her quarterfinal match, she was two holes down with three to play, but managed to advance after making a birdie on the 18^th hole to get past Alaina Schmitt of Bellarmine University. Carter sailed through the semifinals with a 3&2 victory over University of Kentucky player, Ryan Bender.
Carter & Grace

Aside from Carter, there were several other current Racers competing including Lauren Gilchrist, Emma Payne, Ellie West, Katherine Weir and Kaitlyn Zieba.

Carter notches the fourth Murray State win at the Kentucky State Amateur and the first since Anna Moore won it in consecutive years in 2017 and 2018. Jessica Widman-Grace is the only other Racer to win the title in 2007.

Widman-Grace, who coached Carter at Henderson County High School, won the Kentucky State Am Mid title with a 3 & 2 win in the final over Krissy Martin. Widman-Grace, played for the Racers from 1996-00 and was the first from women's golf to be inducted into the Murray State Hall of Fame in 2007.

About Murray State Athletics
Located in Murray, Kentucky, the athletics department of Murray State University is a NCAA Division I member and plays in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Racers have 15 programs including men's teams for baseball, basketball, cross country, football and golf and women's teams for basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball, as well as a mixed gender rifle team. Currently a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, the Racers join the Missouri Valley Conference on July 1, 2022. The Racers will become a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2023.

Payton Carter

Murray State University

Players Mentioned

Payton Carter

Lauren Gilchrist

Anna Moore

Emma Payne

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