Another Thiele Win at Heritage Hills
MCCOOK (June 24, 2021) - Wahoo's Lauren Thiele won a title at the same place her oldest sister won seven years ago, taking the the 59th Nebraska Girls' Match Play Championship at Heritage Hills Golf Course in McCook on Thursday.
Thiele defeated Papillion's Sydney Taake, 2 and 1, to win her second title. Her sister, Haley, won the 2014 Nebraska Girls' Match Play Championship at Heritage Hills, by defeating their other sister, Hannah.
In the Semifinals, Thiele had a tough match against the 2020 Nebraska Women's Match Play Champion Katie Ruge of Omaha. Ruge birdied No. 6 to take a 2-up lead, but Thiele answered with a birdie on No. 9 and then won holes No. 11 and 12 to take the lead. She closed out the match with wins on Nos. 15 and 16 to win, 3 and 2.
Thiele also had to overcome a deficit in the Final. They tied the first four holes, but Taake made a long birdie putt on the par-3 fifth hole to take the lead. The next four holes were tied as well, but Thiele made a move on the back nine. She won No. 10 with a par, and then also won No. 11 after hitting her approach close, with Taake conceded after having trouble with the native grass.
Thiele pushed her lead to 3 up with wins on Nos. 14 and 15, but Taake stayed alive by nearly holing another long birdie putt on the par-3 16th and winning the hole with a par. It only lasted one more hole though, as Thiele two-putted for par on the 17th hole to close out the match and the championship.
The final bracket is available under the Scoring tab of the championship website below.
Nebraska Girls' Match Play Championship
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.
