Ruge Rolls to Sweep with Nebraska Women's Match Play Title
Championship Final Conducted Friday at Landmand Golf Club
HOMER (July 26, 2024) - Omaha's Katie Ruge defeated Wahoo's Brooke Thiele in the Final of the 101st Nebraska Women’s Match Play Championship on Friday at Landmand Golf Club in Homer, securing a season sweep of the women's majors in the state.
Ruge jumped out to an early lead and cruised in to win the Final, 4 and 3, over the young Thiele. It's Ruge's second title, adding to her 2020 win at Kearney Country Club. She also now owns four NebGolf titles, tied for 15th all-time. The 2024 Nebraska Women's Amateur Champion completed the 14th sweep of the women's championships, and is the 19th player to win multiple Nebraska Women's Match Play titles.
Both players seemed to be feeling the pressure early, with Ruge winning the first hole with a par. They both bogeyed three of the next four holes, but Ruge dropped the first birdie of the match on the par-5 sixth to push her lead to 2 up.
Another birdie rolled in on the par-3 eighth for Ruge, and a win with a par on No. 9 moved her into firm control with a 4-up lead at the turn. Thiele bounced back though, sticking her approach shot on No. 10 to a few feet for a birdie to cut the lead to 3 up, momentarily.
Ruge came right back, reaching the par-5 11th in two and two-putting for an easy birdie to get back to 4 up. She then made an impossible up-and-down from behind the par-3 12th green, when it looked like Thiele might cut into the lead. Thiele had a similarly impossible par save on the 13th, hacking out from the native grass and rolling in a long, downhill par putt to stay alive.
Thiele had another chance on the 14th to reduce the lead, but couldn't get the putt to drop, and Ruge was 4 up with four holes to play. Ruge hit two shots shots on the 555-yard par 5 15th, and was just short of the green. She pitched 0n, and after Thiele's birdie attempt slid by, Ruge cozied her putt up close for a conceded par and the win.
Ruge, who played two years at Kansas, transferred back home to play golf for the Omaha Mavericks, beginning this fall. She's also headed to the U.S. Women's Amateur in August at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, earning that exemption with her Nebraska Women's Amateur win.
Thiele, who will be a sophomore at Bishop Neumann High School in Wahoo, finishes runner-up in her quest to be the fifth Thiele sister to win a NebGolf title.
Winners were also crowned in four Tournament Division Brackets, with Norfolk's Julie Hall winning the Gross Bracket. Papillion's Ellen McCann won the Net Bracket 1, Omaha's Nancy Johnson won the Net Bracket 2 and Omaha's Kat Hamilton won the Net Bracket 3.
The final brackets are available on the championship website below, along with 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.
