Payton Haugen and Bobbi Stricker Set for Showdown at Women's Open

In a tightly contested second round of the 2026 Wisconsin Women's Open, Payton Haugen showcased her skills at SentryWorld in Stevens Point, finishing with a score of 1-under 71 on June 16. This performance propelled the Elm Brook golfer into the lead with a total of 1-under for the tournament. Haugen achieved four birdies while encountering three bogeys, following an even par 72 in her opening round. Heading into the final round on June 17, she holds a narrow one-shot lead over seasoned professional Bobbi Stricker.

Stricker matched Haugen's score with her own 1-under 71 in the second round, highlighted by an impressive eagle on the 480-yard par 5 14th hole. The experienced golfer, who has finished as a runner-up in this event three times before, is eager to claim her first title at the state open. Notably, Stricker also took home the trophy at the 2021 Wisconsin Women's Amateur.

Hannah Dunk, who led after the first round, struggled with a 3-over 75, bringing her total to 2-over and dropping her into a tie for third place with Julia Imai from UW-Stout, who carded a 1-over 73 despite a challenging double bogey on the eighth hole. Meanwhile, Reedsburg's Pimpunvadee Booncharn delivered the best round of the day, a 2-under 70, moving her into fifth place at 3-over par.

As the 30th edition of the women's state open unfolds, the competition appears to be narrowing down to these five contenders. Norah Roberts sits in sixth place, trailing by seven strokes at 6-over for the tournament, while a cluster of five players is tied for seventh at 7-over. The final round will feature the top 24 players who made the cut, which was set at a total of 12-over par.