Nebraska Women's Match Play Down to Quarterfinals
Rounds of 32 and 16 Conducted Wednesday at Landmand Golf Club
HOMER (July 24, 2024) - The title race is down to eight players at the 101st Nebraska Women’s Match Play Championship after two rounds of matches on Wednesday at Landmand Golf Club in Homer.
The top seed is still alive, as Papillion's Kelli Taulbee cruised to win both of her matches. The University of South Florida alum needed just 27 holes to get through to the Quarterfinals. She rolled to a 6-and-4 win in the Round of 32 over Lincolns Kaitlyn Dumler, and then followed with a 7-and-5 win over Husker golfer Mackenzie Bream.
Taulbee will play Bellevue's Emma Mullendore in the Quarterfinals. Mullendore won both of her matches, 4 and 2, to get the matchup with the No. 1 seed.
North Platte's Karsen Morrison took down the No. 4 seed, and her future Creighton teammate, Julia Karmazin of Omaha in the Round of 16. Karmazin had already won the two NebGolf girls' championships this summer, but fell to Morrison, 2 and 1.
It'll be a matchup with Wahoo's Brooke Thiele Thursday morning for Morrison. Thiele, who's older sister Lindsey Thiele won the title last year, is looking to become the fifth Thiele to win a NebGolf title. She rolled in both of her matches as well, needing just 28 holes to close them out. It was a 5-and-4 win in the Round of 32 against Omaha's Jackie Conway, and a 6-and-4 win over Omaha's Lauren Murnan in the Round of 16.
The No. 2 seed made it through the day, and the sweep is still a possibility for Omaha's Katie Ruge. The reigning Nebraska Women's Amateur Champion survived against the No. 31 seed, making a clutch par on the 18th hole to win 1 up, over La Vista's Elly Speece. Ruge then rallied late to close out Lincoln's Olivia Lovegrove, 3 and 1, winning holes No. 14, 16 and 17.
Ruge will take on Minden's KayLynn Jorgensen, who took out the 2023 Nebraska Girls' Match Play Champion, Naryn Kim of Lincoln.
In the last Quarterfinal, it will be the No. 3 seed Whitney Dahir of Omaha against No. 22 seed Emily Krzyzanowski of Scottsbluff. Dahir survived the only extra hole match of the day, winning in 19 holes of Lincoln's Elly Honnens. Krzyzanowski closed out Husker golfer Brooke Bream, 1 up, to advance.
The Tournament Division started play on Wednesday with a stroke play seeding round. They will start matches on Thursday.
The Quarterfinals begin at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, with the Semifinals to follow in the afternoon. The bracket is available on the championship website below, along with the scoring page and additional information.
Nebraska Women's Match Play 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.
