Thiele Takes Nebraska Match Play Title

Husker golfer Lindsey Thiele captured the first state women’s match play title of her career with a 2 & 1 win over Kaitlyn Hanna in the 100th Nebraska Women’s Match Play Championship on Wednesday at the Happy Hollow Club in Omaha.

Thiele, a rising senior from Wahoo, jumped to a quick lead over Hanna (Omaha) by winning the first hole, then pushed her edge to 2 up after winning again on No. 4. Hanna, a freshman at Iowa in 2022-23, cut Thiele’s lead in half with a win on No. 6, before the two golfers matched each other shot for shot over the next five holes.

Thiele went 2 up with a win on No. 12, before Hanna fought back with a win on No. 14. Thiele then strengthened her grip on victory with a win on No. 16 to move to 2 up again. Thiele matched Hanna on No. 17 to secure the championship.

Thiele advanced to Wednesday’s championship match with a 6 & 5 win over Allison Comer (Kearney) in Tuesday’s semifinals. Thiele opened Tuesday’s action by outlasting Cecilia Arndt (Columbus) over 22 holes.

Thiele opened match play with a 1 up win over her younger sister, Lauren, who recently redshirted in her first season at Wichita State. Lauren finished second in the stroke play portion of the tournament with a 73, while Lindsey qualified in a tie for 15th with former Husker teammate Nicole Hansen.

Lindsey Thiele gives the Huskers a state women’s match play champion for the third consecutive year, following victories by teammates Megan Whittaker (2022) and Kirsten Baete (2021).

Thiele joins her older sister Hannah, also a three-year letter winner as a Husker golfer, as a Nebraska Women’s Match Play champion. Hannah earned the title in 2016, when she also captured the state stroke play crown. Their oldest sister, Haley, a four-year Husker letter winner, also won the state women’s stroke play title in 2017.

The 2023 Nebraska Women’s Amateur Championship will be played at the Fremont Golf Club, July 31-Aug. 2.