Kolbas Completes Back Nine Comeback to Win Girls' Amateur
FREMONT (August 3, 2021) - Lincoln's Nicole Kolbas completed an incredible back nine comeback to win the 21st Nebraska Girls' Amateur Championship on Tuesday at Fremont Golf Club.
Kolbas started the final round three strokes back, and charged through the back nine, finishing with a 71 (E) to win by two strokes at 145 (+3). She joins her mother, Steph Kolbas, who won two Nebraska Women's Amateurs and a Nebraska Women's Match Play, and her older brother Jason Kolbas, who won the 2018 Nebraska Junior Amateur, as a state champion.
The junior at Lincoln Pius X is the reigning NSAA Class A Champion, which Kolbas won by an incredible 12 strokes, but she had not yet won a NGA title. Kolbas finished runner-up in both girls' championships last year, but did not let anyone beat her this week.
The final round started off on a sour note for most of the girls at the top of the leaderboard, with Kolbas making double-bogey on the first hole and the leader, Kaitlyn Hanna of Omaha, making double-bogey on No. 2. Hanna righted the ship, unlike most of her competitors, and played even-par golf until halfway through the back nine.
Hanna's lead grew to four strokes at one point, but Kolbas came charging after making the turn in 38 (+3). She made birdie on No. 12 to get within three strokes, then was suddenly one stroke back after Hanna double-bogeyed the par-4 14th hole. Playing in the group ahead of Hanna, Kolbas was hole-high in two at the par-5 15th hole, and made a delicate up-and-down for birdie to tie the lead. Wahoo's Lauren Thiele, the 2021 Nebraska Girls' Match Play Champion had also tied the lead after a birdie on No. 13 moved her to 4-over.
The par-4 16th was shortened for the final round, and Kolbas gave it a go with driver. Her drive settled just short of the green, and a simple chip and putt gave her another birdie and the lead for the first time at 3-0ver. Kolbas came in with two clutch pars for a back nine 33 (-3) and her even-par 71. Thiele bogeyed No. 16, and Hanna did the same on No. 18, and Kolbas sealed a two-stroke victory.
Hanna and Thiele tied for runner-up honors at 147 (+5). Hanna also tied for runner-up honors a couple weeks ago at the Nebraska Women's Amateur. Papillion's Sydney Taake was fourth at 150 (+8) and Omaha's Emily Karmazin was fifth at 151 (+9).
Katie Ruge and Julia Karmazin of Omaha finished at 153 (+11), tied for sixth. Scottsbluff's Emily Krzyzanowski was eighth at 155 (+13), while two players tied for ninth. North Platte's Karsen Morrison and Lincoln's Neely Adler rounded out the top 10, who all received medals, at 159 (+17).
Full results and more is available at the championship website below.
Nebraska Girls' 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.
