Payton Haugen has had a memorable end to her high school career, as the Elm Grove golfer bookended her final year as a prep with the 2026 Wisconsin State Women’s Open title on June 17 at SentryWorld in Stevens Point.
Haugen, the Brookfield East standout who is headed to Michigan State University in the fall to play golf, won the 2025 WIAA state title in record-breaking fashion after several near misses.In a weather-delayed final round at SentryWorld, site of the 2023 U.S. Senior Open, Haugen held off Madison’s Bobbi Stricker for a two-shot victory at 4-over-par 220 for the three-day tournament. Following a long delay, Haugen finished her final two holes at 3-over to card a 5-over 77. But Stricker did the same and could not make up ground.Haugen is the sixth different champion in the last six Opens. Tess Hackworthy (2016-19) is the last champion to win in consecutive years.
It was another agonizingly close call for Stricker, who has now finished runner-up in the open four times. She was looking for her first win as a professional. Stricker finished alone in second place at 6-over 222 for the tournament after a final-round 78.
First-round leader Hannah Dunk finished in third place at 7-over following a final-round 77. Beaver Dam’s McKenna Nelson and Reedsburg’s Pimpunvadee Booncharn tied for fourth at 8-over.
The top 10 was rounded by Wauwatosa’s Emily Gastrau and Hartland’s Allison Guiser (tied for 6th, 10-over), Oak Creek professional Taitum Beck (8th, 12-over), DeForest’s Abigail Henricksen (9th, 14-over) and Oconomowoc’s Lauren Lupinek, Middleton’s Vivian Cressman, UW-Stout player Julia Imai and Spring Grove professional Mackenzie Hahn (tied for 10th, 15-over).
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Payton Haugen overcomes weather, Stricker to win state Women’s Open
Reporting by Jim Owczarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jim Owczarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
