Fremont, NE – More than 110 junior golfers across the Nebraska Section PGA teed it up at Fremont Club in the 2025 Nebraska Junior PGA Championships. Boys 13-15, Girls 13-15, Boys 16-18 and Girls 16-18 made up the four divisions of juniors that competed the past two days in the Section’s biggest junior event of the season. The annual event sends two boys and two girls from the 16-18 divisions to the National Junior PGA Championships. The national event will be held July 29-August 1, 2025 at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Indiana.
The Nebraska Junior PGA Championships serve as both a qualifier and as a premier event on the Nebraska Junior Golf summer circuit. This year’s edition of the championship moved to Fremont Golf Club where each fairway is tree-lined and the greens feature difficult undulation making for a tough challenge. The 36-hole event kicked off Monday and the best junior golfers in the Section would be tested.
Beginning with the Girls 16-18 division, KayLynn Jorgensen kept her summer rolling with a one-stroke victory to claim her spot in the national championship. The Minden, NE native posted a two-day total of 4-over par and made a clutch par on the last hole to win by one stroke. The two players behind Jorgensen were Lincoln’s Isabella Elgert and Wahoo’s Brooke Thiele who tied at 5-over and went to a playoff for the final qualifying spot. After three playoff holes, Elgert won with a par and punched her ticket to Indiana.
It was a tight race from start to finish in the Boys 16-18 division and it came down to a playoff for the title. Lincoln’s Zack Erstad and Waco’s Jaxson Hinze tied at 2-under for the tournament meaning the both punched their own ticket to the national championship, but we needed extra holes to decide the champion. On the first playoff hole, Hinze’s attempt to get up and down for par brought a brutal break after his shot into the flag hit the stick and ricochet’d off the green. Erstad eventually made par and went on to claim first in the division.
The Girls 13-15 division was decided in regulation after Columbus’ Stella Sedlacek picked up a wire to wire win with a two-day total of 16-over. Playing up in age, Sedlacek managed a tough course very well and won by 9 shots. Finishing runner-up was Omaha’s Sloan Mackintosh and taking third was Omaha’s Avery Peter.
The Boys 13-15 represented our final division, and though they weren’t eligible to qualify for the national event, a stacked field offered great experience and several players posted great scores. Winning the division was Lincoln’s Teddy Strope with an impressive two-day total of 5-over while Grand Island’s Patrick Vilai took second with a total of 8-over. Three players tied for third at 10-over and the division as a whole played well.
We would like to thank General Manager Doug Shiple, Director of Golf Nathan Kalin, Director of Agronomy Josh Hegy and the entire staff at Fremont Golf Club for hosting two outstanding days of this storied championship.
We are excited to cheer on our four national qualifiers that will head in Indiana later this summer to represent our entire Section.
CLICK HERE FOR RESULTS FROM THE NE JUNIOR PGA
ABOUT THE NEBRASKA SECTION PGA
The Nebraska Section PGA is a non-for-profit organization comprised of over 340 PGA Members and PGA Associates who strive to promote the enjoyment and growth of the game of golf. The Nebraska Section PGA encompasses the entire State of Nebraska, western fifth of Iowa and a small portion of South Dakota including Dakota Dunes and Yankton. The Section office is located in Lincoln, NE and acts as a resource for local and national golf information for the golf professional and amateur player alike. Our members are often referred to as “Club Professionals”, not to be mistaken as PGA Tour Professionals.
Each Nebraska Section PGA Professional serves as an expert in the ever-changing business of golf. They are the leading expert players and teachers, skilled business managers, community leaders, and superior merchandisers who have dedicated their careers to the local delivery of these services.