Thiele Leads Nebraska Women's Amateur After Round One
YORK (June 26, 2019) - The 2017 champion is at it again, as Wahoo’s Haley Thiele leads by three strokes after the first round of the 45th Nebraska Women’s Amateur Championship at York Country Club on Wednesday.
The opening round was delayed 90 minutes due to severe weather and heavy rains, but play eventually started at 9:30 a.m. in difficult conditions. Thiele made five birdies during her round of 72 (+2), including a closing birdie on the 18th hole. She was three strokes better than Husker teammate Megan Whittaker of Elkhorn, who shot 75 (+5). Whittaker, who won the 2018 Nebraska Girls’ Match Play Championship at York Country Club, had an adventurous front nine, making three pars, three birdies and three bogeys. She started birdie-birdie, and held the lead for a while, before finishing bogey-double-bogey.
Whittaker is three strokes clear of the next competitor, Danica Badura of Aurora. Badura will join those two in the final group for Thursday’s second round, after shooting a round of 78 (+8). Two other players managed to break 80, including Omaha Maverick golfer Hannah Hunke of Snyder and another Husker Kirsten Baete of Beatrice. Both players posted 79 (+9) and are tied for fourth. Baete is also a past Nebraska Girls’ Amateur Champion (2016).
Another former Girls’ Amateur Champion, Ricki Hickstein of Chadron (2017), is tied for sixth at 81 (+11), along with Lincoln’s Nicole Kolbas. The 2016 Nebraska Women’s Amateur Champion Hannah Thiele of Wahoo is tied for eighth with North Platte’s Baylee Steele at 82 (+11).
The Championship Division has 36 holes left to play over the next two days, with the second round scheduled to start at 8 a.m. on Thursday. The Non-Championship Division will start their tournament tomorrow morning at the same time, playing just 36 holes to complete the event.
Full results and more can be found on the championship website at the button below.
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.
