Athlete of the Week: Nebraska golf’s Lauren Thiele

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Lauren Thiele, a Junior at Nebraska captured the Nebraska Women’s match play title this past week, defeating her own Husker teammate in the championship round.

Thiele is this year’s 102nd champion of Women’s match play. She defeated Brooke Bream 1 up, claiming her first Nebraska women’s golf title.

“I was very happy all week with my strategy towards it,” said Thiele.

In the semifinals of the match play tournament, it featured four Huskers on the Nebraska Women’s Golf team. Thiele said it was fun to go up against her own teammate in the finals, but a challenge she was

willing to take on.

“We both were excited going into it, just to play with each other but also, for the win.”

The action went down at Hillcrest Country Club, and according to Lauren, match play is one her favorite styles of competition.

“It’s quite different from regular stroke play tournaments, because all you’re having to worry about is yourself and your opponent,” Thiele said.

Winning also runs in the Thiele family. Lauren is just the third sister of her family to win a Nebraska Golf title.

She says she’s been waiting for this one for a while, but also none of it would have been possible without her family’s support.

“It’s just so cool, seeing my older sister and little sister now win those events, it’s fun to add that to my name as well,” Thiele said. “All of my family did a really good job at keeping me in the present moment. They never let me get too down or too up. I couldn’t have done it without any of them, they were a massive help and a huge advantage for me.”