Whittaker Claims Nebraska Amateur Crown

Lincoln – Megan Whittaker captured her second major Nebraska state women’s golf title of the summer, holding off former Husker teammate Haley Thiele to claim the 48th Nebraska Women’s Amateur Championship at Wilderness Ridge Country Club on Wednesday.

Whittaker, a graduate student from Elkhorn, Neb., closed the 54-hole tournament with an even-par 213 to fend off Thiele by two strokes. Whittaker settled for a 74 (+3) on Wednesday, after entering the final round at 139 (-3) through the first 36 holes. Thiele (Wahoo, Neb.) was able to cut one stroke off Whittaker’s lead in the final round after entering the final day three strokes back at even-par 142. Kearney’s Allison Comer finished third at 218 (+5).

With the victory, Whittaker became the first woman to complete the match-play and stroke-play summer sweep in Nebraska since 2016, when Haley Thiele’s younger sister, Hannah Thiele, accomplished the championship double.

A third Thiele sister, Husker junior-to-be Lindsey Thiele, tied for sixth at 224 (+11), while a third 2022-23 Husker, Miu Takahashi (Japan), tied for 10th at 232 (+19).

In early June, Whittaker won the 99th Nebraska Women’s Match Play Championship with a 6&5 win in the championship over Lindsey Thiele at Elks Country Club in Columbus. At the end of June, Whittaker earned a spot in the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship with a top-four finish at a qualifying tournament at Eagle Bend Golf Course in Lawrence, Kan.

The 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur will be held at Chambers Bay Golf Club in University Place, Wash., Aug. 8-14.

122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship Schedule

Monday, Aug. 8 – 18 holes (stroke play)

Tuesday, Aug. 9 – 18 holes (stroke play)

 – the low 64 scores after 36 holes of stroke will advance to match play

Wednesday, Aug. 10 – Round of 64 (match play)

Thursday, Aug. 11 – Rounds of 32 & 16 (match play)

Friday, Aug. 12 – Quarterfinals (match play)

Saturday, Aug. 13 – Semifinals (match play)

Sunday, Aug. 14 (Championship match, 36 holes)