BOZEMAN — Montana State senior golfer Delaney Elliott’s goal has always been to play in the U.S. Amateur Championship.
And earlier this month, she achieved that dream at a qualifier in Colorado, shooting a 1-under-par 71 and finishing first in the field, securing her spot at the coveted tournament.
“I’ve gotten close. I’ve been trying to qualify since I was like a sophomore in high school and I’ve gotten close a few times,” said Elliott. “It was probably my last year trying to qualify just because I’m going to be a senior and probably going to be wrapping up my golf career here pretty soon.”
Elliott, whose career plan after golf is to become a teacher, qualified in style at the CommonGround Golf Course in Aurora, Colorado with a hole-in-one on the 168-yard par-3 12th.
“It looked good and I didn’t see it go in. My mom was up there with a few other parents that were watching. And the hole was kind of tucked in a corner so you couldn’t really see the actual hole. So I didn’t know it went in, but then like they started screaming and I was like ‘Oh, that’s probably going to be pretty good,’ and then I guess it went in. It was pretty exciting,” she said.
That shot helped seal Elliott’s spot at the U.S. Amateur Championship in August, featuring the best golfers in the country. And she’s going to enjoy every moment competing in her dream tournament.
“My first goal is to make the cut and just have a good time. It’s at a course that is much different from the courses we have here, so we will see. I just want to have fun,” she said.
