Marchese, Pohlman Lead Senior Amateur, Barnes Leads Mid-Amateur
Round One Conducted Saturday at Platteview Golf Club
BELLEVUE (September 23, 2023) - It is a decorated top of the leaderboard at Platteview Golf Club in Bellevue, as past champions Susan Marchese of Omaha and Jane Pohlman of Omaha lead the 45th Nebraska Women's Senior Amateur Championship, and Bellevue's Kayla Barnes leads the 3rd Nebraska Women's Mid-Amateur Championship, after the first round on Saturday.
Marchese and Pohlman own a combined 13 titles at the championship, and both shot rounds of 82 (+10) to tie for the lead after the first day. Pohlman, a 5-time champion, had a day, making a hole-in-one on the 107-yard par-3 eighth hole. She then cruised into the lead with five pars on the back nine, but dropped two strokes with a double-bogey on the 18th hole.
The Eight-time champion Marchese had a rough start, but righted the ship on the back nine, making a birdie and coming in with a 39 (+3) to tie Pohlman at the top. The two have had several battles in this championship over the years, and Sunday will be another edition.
Barnes, a two-time Nebraska Women's Amateur Champion who is nearly seven months pregnant, leads the Mid-Amateur field by four strokes after a round of 74 (+2). After finishing runner-up last year, Barnes got off to a hot start this year, making three birdies in her first seven holes to take the lead. She made the turn in 34 (-2), and despite a double-bogey on No. 13, Barnes never lost her lead and cruised into the clubhouse.
Omaha's Ashlyn Eden is in second behind Barnes, after shooting a round of 78 (+6), and was the only other player to break 80 on Saturday. Lindsay Eggers of Omaha and Emily Schimbeno of Grand Island are tied for third after rounds of 82 (+10). Four players are tied for fifth at 87 (+15), including Bellevue's Brandi Rossman, Omaha's Megan Place McAfee, Omaha's Elizabeth Wanek and Omaha's Amy Benge.
On the Senior Amateur side, Lincoln's Jill Pilkington and La Vista's Kari Mangan are tied for third, both shooting rounds of 85 (+13). Anne Robertson of Columbus shot 86 (+14) and is in fifth.
There was also another hole-in-one on Saturday. Bellevue's Tracey Whitley, a Platteview Golf Club member, made an ace on the 148-yard par-3 fourth hole.
The Final Round will begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday with starting times off of No. 1 again. Marchese, Pohlman and Mangan are in the last group of the Senior Amateur at 8:50 a.m., while Barnes, Eden and Eggers are in the last Mid-Amateur group at 9:40 a.m.
Pairings for the final round are available on the championship websites below, along with the scoring page and additional information.
Nebraska Women's Mid-Amateur Championship
Nebraska Women's Senior Amateur Championship
About NebGolf
The Nebraska Golf Association (NebGolf), founded in 1966, is comprised of all members of public and private clubs and/or municipal or regional golf associations which utilize an approved handicap service recognized by the USGA and provided by NebGolf. Our mission is to uphold and promote the game of golf and its values to all golfers in Nebraska. Among the duties of the Association include governance of member clubs and service as their handicapping and course rating authority, conduct of state golf championships, local USGA qualifying & other notable competitions, promotion of junior golf, presentation of worthwhile educational programs and support of allied golf organizations in Nebraska. The Nebraska Golf Association is an Allied Golf Association of the USGA and carries out core services including Handicap Administration and Oversight, Course Rating, Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status, Tournaments and USGA Championship Qualifiers and USGA Initiatives and Community Programs.
