Gretna, NE – The Nebraska Golf Association and the Nebraska PGA Section provided 12 players each to compete in the 52nd edition of the annual Nebraska Cup Matches. The event annually pits the state’s best amateur golfers versus the state’s top PGA Professionals in both Four-Ball and Singles matches.
The 52nd Nebraska Cup Matches ended in a tie, 36-all, for just the fourth time in the event’s history, with the Nebraska Section PGA retaining the Cup, Tuesday at Lost Rail Golf Club in Gretna. With the win, the Nebraska PGA now leads the series 30-22.
It’s just the fourth time the matches have ended in a tie, and the first since 1989, when the Amateurs retained the Cup at Highland Country Club in Omaha. The matches also were tied in 1987 (PGA) and 1985 (NebGolf).
The Amateurs took the lead after the Morning Four-Ball Session, 19-17, but the Professionals kept it close with two sides sweeping their matches. Jim White, PGA MP and Jon Petersen, PGA won all six points during the morning Four-Ball match taking down John Sajevic and Ed Wyatt. Also sweeping their morning match was Brady Schnell and Justin Herron, PGA against David Easley and Calvin Freeman.
The Afternoon Singles were equally competitive, as the matches came down to the wire. Jim White of the Fairways at Lincoln flipped his match late, winning the last three holes to get two points off Gretna’s Brian Csipkes, which turned out to be a deciding factor for the Professionals.
Table Rock’s Calvin Freeman birdied his last hole to tie Brady Schnell of Firethorn Golf Club, and Nietfeldt won his last hole to secure a sweep of Happy Hollow Club’s Ryan Vermeer. They looked like important points, but ultimately the Nebraska PGA won the session 19-17, and a tie resulted in a retention of the Cup, with the Pros winning in 2023.
Jim White, PGA MP of the Fairways at Lincoln, also known as the ‘Goat’ was the MVP for team Nebraska PGA after he earned eight points of the possible nine that he could’ve won.
We want to thank General Manager Tim Halpine, Director of Golf Ty Stewart and the entire staff at Lost Rail Golf Club for hosting us!
Full results and more are available at the Nebraska Cup Matches website.
ABOUT THE NEBRASKA SECTION PGA
The Nebraska Section PGA is a non-for-profit organization comprised of over 300 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.
ABOUT THE NEBRASKA GOLF ASSOCIATION
The Nebraska Golf Association (NebGolf), founded in 1966, is comprised of all members of public and private clubs and/or municipal or regional golf associations which utilize an approved handicap service recognized by the USGA and provided by NebGolf. Our mission is to uphold and promote the game of golf and its values to all golfers in Nebraska. Among the duties of the Association include governance of member clubs and service as their handicapping and course rating authority, conduct of state golf championships, local USGA qualifying & other notable competitions, promotion of junior golf, presentation of worthwhile educational programs and support of allied golf organizations in Nebraska. The Nebraska Golf Association is an Allied Golf Association of the USGA and carries out core services including Handicap Administration and Oversight, Course Rating, Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status, Tournaments and USGA Championship Qualifiers and USGA Initiatives and Community Programs.