Badura's Low Final Round Wins Nebraska Women's Amateur
Final Round Conducted Wednesday at The Country Club of Lincoln
LINCOLN (August 5, 2020) - Aurora’s Danica Badura won her third title of the summer, capturing the 46th Nebraska Women’s Amateur Championship at The Country Club of Lincoln by two strokes with a total of 213 (-3).
The University of South Dakota commit battled back from down two strokes at the beginning of the final round to shoot what could be a record round in the Nebraska Women's Amateur. Her final round score of 67 (-5) is the lowest round in the previous seven playings of the Nebraska Women’s Amateur, and could be a championship record.
Badura struck quickly, hitting her approach close on the first hole, and rolling in the birdie to tie the lead after the 36-hole leader Lindsey Thiele of Wahoo made bogey. Badura made the turn with a 34 (-2) on the front nine that included three birdies.
Badura then overcame another deficit to Thiele, as she was down one stroke on the 17th hole. Birdies on the closing two holes, including a near eagle hole-out on the 18th, gave Badura the title. Her approach shot on No. 18 landed on the front of the green and lipped out of the hole, before she tapped in for birdie. She finished her back nine in 33 swings with four birdies on the card.
Badura added another title to her name after winning the 2020 Nebraska Girls’ Match Play and 2020 Nebraska Girls’ Amateur Championships. After finishing runner-up the previous year, Badura broke through to earn her first Nebraska Women’s Amateur title at The Country Club of Lincoln.
Four of the top six players were junior competitors. Thiele, a soon-to-be-Husker, finished in solo second at 215 (-1), after a 71 (-1) performance today. Thiele regained her initial lead with an eagle on the 13th and birdie on the 14th, but she fell short after making bogeys on the 15th and 18th.
Lincoln’s Nicole Kolbas finished in third at 221 (+5). Kolbas fired a round of 71 (-1) in the third round to get into the top five. She was followed by fellow junior Kaitlyn Hanna of Omaha at 223 (+7). Hanna’s final 18 holes were played in 73 strokes (+1).
A trio of Husker teammates rounded out the top seven. Nicole Hansen of Lincoln and Kristen Baete of Beatrice tied for fifth at 226 (+10). Baete, the 2016 Nebraska Girls’ Amateur Champion, shot a final round 78 (+6) and Hansen carded an 80 (+8). Noor Ahmed of Lincoln finished in seventh at 227 (+11) after a 74 (+2) today.
Five-time champion Nebraska Women’s Amateur Champion (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003) Sarah Sasse-Kildow of Lincoln finished in eighth place with a 228 (+12).
Rounding out the top 10 was Baylee Steele of North Platte at 229 (+13) in ninth and Husker golfers Hannah Thiele of Wahoo and Jessica Haraden of Lincoln in a tie for 10th at 231 (+15).
Three flight winners were crowned in the Non-Championship Division as well. Debbie Wilbeck of Omaha won the First Flight with a 156 (+10) total, while Miae Hatfield of Elkhorn won the Second Flight at 159 (+13). Omaha’s Portia Lenczowski won the Third Flight at 177 (+31), Sharon Hofmann of Omaha was victorious in the Fourth Flight at 194 (+48), and Mary Frye of Lincoln closed out the Fifth Flight at 197 (+51).
Final results are available on the championship website below, along with the scoring page and additional information.
Nebraska Women's Amateur 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.
About NWAGA
The Nebraska Women's Amateur Golf Association, founded in 1973, is an organization of golf clubs and individuals governed by amateur women golfers and formed for the purpose of promoting and conserving the best interests and true spirit of the game of golf for all women in the State of Nebraska. As NWAGA members, your participation and support is integral to NWAGA's success and will continue to enliven our efforts.
