Badura is Nebraska Girls' Golfer of the Year
OMAHA (November 12, 2019) - The Nebraska Golf Association is proud to announce the selection of Aurora’s Danica Badura as the 2019 Nebraska Girls’ Amateur Golfer of the Year.
Badura proved herself as one of the best female golfers in the state, regardless of age, this summer. She was the runner-up at both the Nebraska Girls’ Amateur and the Nebraska Women’s Amateur, and made the semifinals of both the Nebraska Girls’ Match Play and the Nebraska Women’s Match Play. Those finishes helped her win the NGA Girls’ Point Standings race by a healthy margin.
The senior at Aurora High School, who is committed to the University of South Dakota, finished runner-up at the 45th Nebraska Women’s Amateur Championship at York Country Club in June. She bested several DI college golfers with a 228 (+18) total, and finished eight strokes behind the champion, Haley Thiele of Wahoo. Badura’s final round 74 (+4) was the low round of the day. She also finished runner-up at the 19th Nebraska Girls’ Amateur Championship at Beatrice Country Club in July, where she was four strokes better than third place with a 155 (+11) total. Again, she shot the low final round, a 78 (+6) in very difficult, windy conditions.
Badura tied for the low qualifying round at the 96th Nebraska Women’s Match Play Championship at Fremont Golf Club in July, shooting a 74 (+3) and earning the No. 1 seed. She cruised to an 8-and-7 win in the first round, and defeated Husker golfer Megan Whittaker of Elkhorn, 4 and 2, in the quarterfinals. She then fell to the eventual champion, Kate Strickland of Lincoln, in the semifinals. She was also the stroke play qualifying medalist and No. 1 seed at the 56th Nebraska Girls’ Match Play Championship at Awarii Dunes Golf Club in June. Badura’s qualifying round of 68 (-4) is a potential championship record, and was the low of the day by seven strokes. She again rolled in her first match, winning 7 and 6, before another win in the quarterfinals. Badura held a 1-up lead over Lauren Thiele of Wahoo, the eventual champion, through 16 holes, but Thiele won the final two holes to take the match.
Badura went 3-0 at the Junior Girls’ Four-State Championship at ArborLinks in Nebraska City, leading Nebraska to a dominant win in the match play competition against Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. She also had runner-up finishes at the Nebraska Junior PGA Championship and the 2018 NSAA Class B Girls’ Golf Championship, which counts in the 2019 NGA Girls’ Point Standings. She recently won the 2019 NSAA Girls’ Class B Golf Championship by 14 strokes.
Badura will be honored at the Nebraska Golf Association's annual awards banquet on Friday, November 15 at The Country Club of Lincoln. In addition, the NGA will recognize its Amateur Golfer of the Year, Junior Amateur Golfer of the Year and Senior Amateur Golfer of the Year. The Nebraska Women's Amateur Golf Association's Player of the Year will also be honored.
About the NGA
The Nebraska Golf Association, 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 the NGA. 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.
