Thiele in Cruise Control at Nebraska Women's Amateur
YORK (June 27, 2019) - Wahoo’s Haley Thiele extended her lead after the second round of the 45th Nebraska Women’s Amateur Championship at York Country Club on Thursday, and now leads by eight strokes.
Thiele posted her second straight round of 72 (+2), despite making just two birdies, and leads with a 144 (+4) total. Starting on the back nine, the Husker golfer birdied the quirky, par-4 17th hole to make up for an earlier bogey and make the turn in 35 (E). However, she had a shaky stretch to start the front nine, beginning with a double-bogey on No. 1 and a bogey on No. 2. She righted the ship though with six straight pars and closed with a birdie for the second straight day.
Thiele has a chance to post the third lowest 54-hole total in championship history. Only two players have posted totals lower than 216 in the 45-year history of the Women’s Amateur, and Thiele would need a 71 (+1) or better to join that group. Doniphan’s Danielle Lemek holds the scoring record with a 207 (-3) total at North Bend Golf Course in 2015, while Omaha’s Susan Marchese finished with a 210 (+9) total at the par-67 Field Club of Omaha in 1992. The record for winning margin is likely out of reach though. Lincoln’s Steph Kolbas won by an incredible 21 strokes in 2007.
Eight strokes back in second is one of Thiele’s Husker teammates, Kirsten Baete of Beatrice. The 2016 Nebraska Girls’ Amateur Champion shot the second-best round of the day, a 73 (+3). She bounced back from a 4-over 39 on the back nine, to post a front nine 34 (-1) and get into the final group with a 152 (+12) 36-hole total. Another Husker, Megan Whittaker of Elkhorn was just three strokes back after the first round, but now finds herself 10 strokes out at 154 (+14). Whittaker, who won the 2018 Nebraska Girls’ Match Play Championship at York Country Club, made just four pars during her round of 79 (+9). She’s tied with Aurora’s Danica Badura for third. Badura, a University of South Dakota commit, put together a second round 76 (+6).
The 2016 Nebraska Women’s Amateur Champion Hannah Thiele of Wahoo gained ground on the field with a 75 (+5). She climbed into fifth place at 157 (+17), rebounding from a first round 82 (+12). North Platte’s Baylee Steele is in sixth at 160 (+20), while the 2017 Nebraska Girls’ Amateur Champion Ricki Hickstein of Chadron is in seventh at 163 (+23). A couple more junior golfers are tied for eighth at 164 (+24), including the 2019 Nebraska Girls’ Match Play Champion Lauren Thiele of Wahoo and Nicole Kolbas of Lincoln. Snyder’s Hannah Hunke rounds out the top 10 at 165 (+25).
There are three flights in the Non-Championship Division, which kicked off play today. Elkhorn’s Sarah Nordlund leads the First Flight after a round of 86 (+12), while Ethel Watson of Arapahoe shot a 98 (+24) to take the lead in the Second Flight. Cairo’s Pat Hancock holds the lead in the Third Flight with a score of 116 (+42).
The Final Round begins at 8 a.m. on Friday, with the leaders set to start at 9:06 a.m. off No. 1. 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.
