Ahlers places runner up at Nebraska amateur match play championship

OAKLAND, Neb. – A pair of Bulldogs took the Oakland Golf Club course this week to compete at the 2015 Nebraska Women’s Amateur Golf Association (NWAGA) Match Play Championship. Junior-to-be Amy Ahlers, a two-time all-GPAC performer, advanced all the way to the championship of the 16-player bracket and earned runner-up honors as the No. 3 seed. Teammate Emma Jacoby, seeded 12th, fell in the first round.

In the event that played out Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Oakland, Neb., Ahlers defeated 14th-seeded Makenna Kroeker, sixth-seeded Anne Robertson and 15th-seeded Susan Marchese. She eventually fell to defending champion and top-seeded Danielle Lemek, a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. It was a strong showing for Ahlers amidst a field that included several NCAA Division I players.

Following Tuesday’s semifinal win, Ahlers spoke to the Omaha World-Herald.

“I had a chance to go to (NAIA) nationals and didn’t make it,” Ahlers told the Omaha news outlet. “I needed to find how to get over the hump, learn how to take my game to the course.

“This summer, I’ve really been focused, letting go of bad shots, and trying to focus on my mental game.”

Earlier in the summer, Ahlers also turned in a fourth-place effort at the Nebraska Women’s Amateur Golf Association (NWAGA) State Amateur, which featured a field of 60 competitors. The native of Albion, Neb., carded a three-round 80-70-73–223. At the same tournament, Jacoby (79-79-82–240) placed 15th.

As a sophomore in 2014-15, Ahlers topped the Bulldogs with a season best average of 82.0 in 11 rounds. She finished runner up in the GPAC.