Colin Prater, Parker Edens make round of 32 at U.S. Mid-Am for 2nd straight year; Marilyn Hardy, Kim Eaton fall in opening matches at U.S. Senior Women’s Am
By Gary Baines – 9/15/2025
A year after Colin Prater of Colorado Springs and former Colorado State University golfer and Greeley resident Parker Edens advanced to the match play round of 32 at the U.S. Mid-Amateur, a little deja vu has kicked in.
The two players who grew up in Colorado won their round-of-64 matches Monday at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., and will tee it up on Tuesday in the round of 32, where Edens won and Prater lost a year ago.
Prater, a high school science teacher and three-time CGA Player of the Year, fended off Jordan Utley of Richmond, Va., 3 and 1 in their opening match. And Edens — who made it to the quarterfinals of this event in 2023 before going to the round of 16 last year — dominated 14th-seeded Wyatt Johnson of Victor, Idaho 5 and 4.
Meanwhile, the third player with strong Colorado ties who made match play, 2024 CGA Mid-Amateur champion Charlie Soule of Denver, fell 2 and 1 on Monday to Christian Cavaliere of Katonah, N.Y.
Prater, who tied for seventh place out of 264 contestants in the stroke-play portion of the Mid-Am, won four of the first five holes on Monday — two with birdies — to go 4 up. But as quickly as he built that lead, he lost it as Utley won four straight holes (7-10) — three with birdies — to tie the match. Prater then made birdies on 11 and 12 to retake a lead that he would not relinquish this time (though an Utley birdie on 15 cut his deficit to 1 down). Prater won 16 with a par and 17 with a birdie to close out the match.
Prater finished the match with five birdies in 17 holes.
Parker Edens wasn’t seriously challenged on Monday. (file photo)
Edens, who tied for 45th in stroke play, was 3 up through five holes on Monday, 4 up through nine and 5 up through 13. The South Dakota State men’s golf head coach eagled the 396-yard, par-4 ninth and added three birdies.
As for Soule, he led 1 up after birdies on holes 1 and 4 and was tied with Cavaliere as they made the turn. But the latter won No. 10 with a birdie and 11 with a par to go ahead for good, though a Soule cut the deficit to 1 down with a birdie on 13. Cavaliere won 14 with a par then tied the remaining three holes to notch the victory. Soule ended up even par for 17 holes.
Both the round of 32 and the round of 16 are scheduled for Tuesday.
Here are the results for all the players with strong Colorado ties at the U.S. Mid-Am:
MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 64 MONDAY
Colin Prater, Colorado Springs, def. Jordan Utley, Richmond, Va., 3 and 1
Christian Cavaliere, Katonah, N.Y., def. Charlie Soule, Denver, 2 and 1
Former Coloradan Parker Edens def. Wyatt Johnson, Victor, Ohio, 5 and 4
STROKE PLAY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Advance to Match Play
7. Colin Prater, CO Springs 68-71—139
35. Charlie Soule, Denver 69-75—144
45. Former Coloradan Parker Edens 74-71–145
Failed to Advance to Match Play
87. Former CSU golfer Bryce Hanstad 73-75–148
131. Matt Call, Sedalia 78-73–151
162. Ryan Axlund, Englewood 75-79—154
172. Joel Perez, Longmont 74-81–155
172. Mark Henderson, Highlands Ranch 81-74—155
223. Ed Kerr, Windsor 76-84–160
Ryan Burke, Longmont 90-WD
— Marilyn Hardy, Kim Eaton Fall in Opening Matches at U.S. Senior Women’s Am: Two players with strong Colorado ties who are regulars at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur made exits in Monday’s opening round of match play in Hot Springs, Va.
After making birdie on the 18th hole to extend a round-of-64 match, part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy fell to Jennifer Delgadillo of Horizon City, Texas in 20 holes. Delgadillo won the decisive 20th hole with a par as Hardy carded a bogey. Hardy, a two-time CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play champion, finished 6 over par for the 20 holes while making three birdies.
And Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, who has competed in every U.S. Senior Women’s Am since turning 50 in 2009, lost to Erin O’Hara of Worcester, Mass., 5 and 3. A four-time quarterfinalist in this event, Eaton won the first hole with a birdie, but that was her only hole victory. She finished 8 over par for 15 holes.
Results for players with strong Colorado ties from the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur in Hot Springs, Va.:
MATCH PLAY ROUND OF 64 MONDAY
Erin O’Hara, Worcester, Mass., def. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton, 5 and 3
Jennifer Delgadillo, Horizon City, Texas, def. part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy, 20 holes
STROKE PLAY SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Advance to Match Play
30. Part-time Gunnison-area resident Marilyn Hardy 77-79–156
40. Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Kim Eaton 76-82–158
Failed to Advance to Match Play
90. Haejeong Son, Castle Rock 83-84–167
127. Louise Lyle, CO Springs 92-90—182
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com