Nilsson Caps Incredible Season with Runner-Up Finish at State

Zara Nilsson of Silver Lake capped an outstanding 2026 season with a runner-up finish at the Class 3A State Golf Tournament in Wichita.

Competing at Tallgrass Golf Club, Nilsson opened with an 80 in the first round before improving to a 77 in the second. Her two-day total of 157 was the second-lowest score in the tournament, earning her a second-place finish.

Silver Lake held a 12-stroke lead after the first day but was unable to maintain its advantage, ultimately falling to St. Marys-Colgan in a tiebreaker.

Nilsson put together a strong season leading up to the state tournament, earning a first-place finish at Jeff West, runner-up finishes at Silver Lake and league, third-place finishes at sub-state and Osage City, fourth at Nemaha Central, and fifth at Holton.

She finished the season with an 88.3 scoring average, with her best nine-hole score of the season coming in at 39 (+3).

With a state runner-up finish and a consistent season of strong performances, Nilsson has earned recognition as this week's Athlete of the Week.