Whittaker Earns Big Ten Weekly Honor

Megan Whittaker claimed the first Big Ten Women’s Golfer-of-the-Week award of her career on Wednesday after leading Nebraska to a runner-up finish at the Westbrook Spring Invitational in Peoria, Ariz., Feb. 27-28.

Whittaker, a senior out of Elkhorn South High School, fired a career-best three-round score of 211 that included a career-best-tying 69 (-3) in the final round on Tuesday at the Westbrook Village Golf Club. Her five-under-par three-round total on the 6,230-yard layout of the Vistas Course was four strokes better than her previous career best.

Whittaker tied for seventh individually in the 81-player field at Westbrook, and she was the top-10 finisher from the Big Ten Conference. The 14-team tournament field, which was loaded with 12 top-100 teams including six in the top 60 nationally, included the hosts from Wisconsin, Ohio State, Minnesota and Iowa from the Big Ten.

A key contributor to Nebraska’s NCAA Regional appearance and Big Ten runner-up finish in 2021, Whittaker carries NU’s No. 2 individual stroke average this season at 74.06 over 18 rounds. She owns four top-25 individual finishes in six tournaments this season, including a pair of top-10 performances. She also went a perfect 3-0 at the Big Ten Match Play in Florida to open the spring season (Jan. 31-Feb. 1).

Remarkably, Whittaker becomes the fifth Nebraska women’s golfer this season to earn the conference weekly award. Nicole Hansen and Lindsey Thiele shared the honor Sept. 22 after bringing home medalist honors from the Marilynn Smith/Sunflower Invitational. Michaela Vavrova brought home the honor Oct. 6, after claiming her first career collegiate title at The Stampede at the Creek. Kirsten Baete bagged Nebraska’s final award of the fall season on Oct. 27, after winning the individual title at the White Sands Intercollegiate in the Bahamas (Oct. 22-24).

Whittaker and the Huskers will be back in action at the Briar’s Creek Invitational hosted by the College of Charleston in John’s Island, S.C., March 14-15.

2021-22 Nebraska Big Ten Women’s Golfers of the Week

Sept. 22: Nicole Hansen, Jr., Nebraska

                Lindsey Thiele, So., Nebraska

Oct. 6: Michaela Vavrova, So., Nebraska

Oct. 27: Kirsten Baete, RSr., Nebraska

March 2: Megan Whittaker, Sr., Nebraska