Whittaker Takes Lead at 4th Nebraska Women's Mid-Amateur
Round One Conducted Saturday at The Pines Country Club
VALLEY (September 28, 2024) - Elkhorn's Megan Whittaker charged out to the lead after Round One of the 4th Nebraska Women's Mid-Amateur Championship at The Pines Country Club in Valley on Saturday.
Whittaker, a new mid-amateur, fired a round of 69 (-3) to jump out to a five-stroke lead at the halfway point. Eight years removed from her first NebGolf title, the 2016 Nebraska Girls' Match Play at The Pines Country Club, Whittaker is poised to secure her fifth title. The former Husker added another Nebraska Girls' Match Play trophy in 2018, and swept the Nebraska Women's Amateur and Nebraska Women's Match Play Championships in 2022.
It wasn't the start Whittaker would have liked, as she bogeyed the opening hole. However, she turned it on from there, making back-to-back birdies on Nos. 5 and 6 to get into red figures. A bogey on No. 9 dropped her back, making the turn in 36 (E), but a hot back nine was up next.
Whittaker birdied No. 11 and then holed out for an eagle on the par-4 12th hole to take a commanding lead at 3-under. She closed with six-straight pars to take her five-stroke lead.
Two past champions will join Whittaker in the final group, including the defending champion Kayla Barnes of Bellevue, who also torched the back nine to finish off a round of 74 (+2). Barnes also had a rough start, playing the first six holes in 5-over and turning in 41 (+5). However, she also caught fire on the back nine, making birdies on Nos. 10 and 12 to get back into the mix.
Barnes also holed out for an eagle on the par-4 16th hole, pitching in from about 50 yards away. A bogey on No. 17 was her only blemish on the back nine, but she closed with a par to get into solo-second at 2-over.
The 2021 and 2022 Champion, Carrie Bostar of Lincoln, sits in third after a round of 77 (+5). She played alongside Whittaker and was near the top of the leaderboard for most of the day. In her first action since she won the 2022 title, Bostar made the turn in 39 (+3), but made a double-bogey on No. 12 to fall behind Barnes at the time.
Bostar rebounded with her lone birdie of the day on No. 15. She made a great bogey save on the par-3 17th, and closed with a par to get into the final group, eight strokes behind.
Omaha's Jackie Conway and Emily Gonderinger are tied for fourth at 78 (+6), while Megan Place McAfee of Omaha is sixth at 80 (+8).
The 2023 Nebraska Women's Senior Amateur Champion Anne Robertson of Columbus is seventh after a round of 81 (+9), and Lincoln's Amy Mick is eighth at 82 (+10). Rounding out the Top 10 is Omaha's Elizabeth Wanek and Valley's Lisa Mayer, a TPCC member, in a tie for ninth at 84 (+12).
The Final Round begins at 1 p.m. on Sunday with the leaders, Whittaker, Barnes and Bostar, to tee off at 2:20 p.m.
Pairings for the Final Round are available on the championship websites below, along with the scoring page and additional information.
Nebraska Women's Mid-Amateur 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.
