What a fun day.  I got to do what I love more than anything- play golf with a chance to win a tournament.  And today, it worked out.  I shot 74 and won the Idaho Women's Amateur for the second time.  I played consistently for 3 rounds and saw it pay off with a 5-shot victory.  It is a wonderful feeling to sigh for relief at the end of 3 rounds with a trophy in hand, knowing hard work has paid off.  

One of my favorite aspects of this tournament was its proximity to home.  It is a rare treat for me to have friends and family be able to come watch with ease.  Seeing the people I love out on the course means so much.  I'd like to send a big thanks to all those who were there and everyone who sent their well wishes! 

This is my last Idaho Amateur before turning professional, so it is special to get to put my name on its list of champions one last time.  Thanks to everyone involved in Idaho junior and amateur golf for a great 14 years. 

So here it is... my first blog post.  For all of you Idahoans out there, this week I will be playing in The Idaho Women's Amateur Championship for my 7th and final time. I look forward to this event because the field is full of familiar faces, the atmosphere is relaxed, friends and family can come watch, and I get to enjoy the rare opportunity to sleep in my own bed before a tournament. This is also usually the one event every year where I get to employ "Maddie's Daddy Caddy." My dad and I have a great time together barring any disastrous screw-ups (always his fault) :)

Today was the first round. I shot 76 and sit in 5th place, 4 shots off the lead.  I struggled to put myself in scoring position and made some mistakes on the green that led to the disappointing score.  However, I feel very good about my game right now, and I know a low score is just around the corner.  Patience is the key for me this week.

I would love for anyone who is in Boise to come watch me play tomorrow or Friday. Falcon Crest is a beautiful golf course... nothing says Idaho golf quite like a cow mooing in your backswing.  I tee off tomorrow morning at 9:30 am and I promise to keep things exciting!

For those following from a distance, tournament scoring can be found here: 2012 IGA Women's Championship.