Nebraska City, NE – Ryan Vermeer, PGA Director of Instruction at Happy Hollow Club repeated as champion of the Nebraska Section PGA Professional Championship, at ArborLinks. Vermeer will lead six Section PGA Professionals to compete in the 53rd PGA Professional Championship, April 26-29 at Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas.
Vermeer followed up yesterday’s stellar play with a final round of five-under-par 67 and a 15-under-par 201 total to repeat as the Nebraska Section PGA Professional Champion. Steve Friesen, PGA, Director of Instruction at Firethorn G.C. began they day four strokes back but never closed the gap on Vermeer. Friesen finished with an even-par 72 in the final round and a six-under-par 210 total good enough for runner-up of this championship. Finish in third place was the ageless wonder, Jim White, PGA MP and Director of Golf at the Fairways at Lincoln who will compete in a PGA of America record 31st PGA Professional Championship. Past champion, Chris Wiemers, PGA, of Stone Creek G.C. makes a return to this championship as he finished with a one-over-par 217 total. Jonathan Beaver, PGA GM of Landsmeer G.C. fired a final round even-par 72 equaling Wiermers total with a one-over-par 217 total. This will be Beaver’s fourth consecutive appearance at the PGA Professional Championship. The round of the day went to Ted DiGiacomo, PGA of Golf Galaxy-Omaha who fired a final round six-under-par 66 and good enough to earn his first ever appearance into this championship.
The PGA Professional Championship and 41 PGA Section Championships feature a total purse of more than $1.5 million. The PGA Professional Championship purse is $550,000, distributed among those who make the cut in the 312-player field. Golf Channel will televise all four rounds of the national Championship.
If eligibility is met and maintained, the low 20 scorers in 2020 will earn berths into the 102nd PGA Championship, May 14-17, at Harding Park Golf Club, San Francisco, California.
In addition to the Walter Hagen Cup, the PGA Professional Championship winner also receives an exemption into the next 10 PGA Professional Championships and exemptions into six PGA TOUR events over a 12-month period.
Established in 1968, the PGA Professional Championship roster of Champions includes the following premier TOUR professionals: Sam Snead, Bob Rosburg, Don Massengale, Ed Dougherty, Larry Gilbert, and Bruce Fleisher.
The PGA Professional Championship is presented by Cadillac, Club Car and OMEGA. Supporting sponsors are Titleist/FootJoy, NIKE and TaylorMade Golf. Presenting partners are Golf Channel and the PGA TOUR. The 41 Section Championships and the National Championship offer a combined purse of $1.5 million.
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About the Nebraska Section PGA
The Nebraska Section of the PGA is one of the 41 Sections that together comprise the PGA of America. The Nebraska Section is a non-for-profit organization comprised of approximately 261 PGA Members and 21 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 players 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.
The Nebraska Section PGA, 610 J Street, Suite #10, Lincoln, NE 68508
Nebraska PGA Professional Championship Results:
August 5th & 6th – ArborLinks
QUALIFIERS
1 Ryan Vermeer Happy Hollow Club 64-70-67–201 -15
2 Steve Friesen Firethorn GC 74-64-72–210 -6
3 Jim White Fairways at Lincoln 71-74-70–215 -1
T4 Chris Wiemers Stone Creek GC 69-74-74–217 +1
T4 Jonathan Beaver Landsmeer GC 74-71-72–217 +1
6 Ted DiGiacomo Golf Galaxy – Omaha 76-77-66–219 +3
ALTERNATES – IN ORDER:
7 Nick Wanderscheid Green Valley Golf Course 78-71-71–220 +4
8 Shane Zywiec Highlands GC 72-82-67–221 +5
9 Bryan Hughett Albion CC 78-74-70–222 +6
T10 Tom Hearn PGA Tour 75-78-70–223 +7
DID NOT QUALIFY
T10 Jon Petersen Tiburon GC 75-76-72–223 +7
T12 J. D. Brake ArborLinks 75-75-75–225 +9
T12 Pete Hagen Johnny Goodman GC 73-70-82–225 +9
14 Brad Bailey Champions Run 80-73-73–226 +10
T15 Devon Kastler Ashland GC 75-76-77–228 +12
T15 Sarah Pravecek Wilderness Ridge 71-73-84–228 +12
T17 Mike Antonio Happy Hollow Club 79-74-76–229 +13
T17 Jonathan Moore Platteview Country Club 75-74-80–229 +13
T19 Tony Baranowski Fremont GC 73-80-77–230 +14
T19 Troy Harder Wayne Country Club 79-74-77–230 +14
T19 Alex Janssen Ridge Golf Club 75-77-78–230 +14
T19 Justin Onken Ashland GC 74-75-81–230 +14
T23 Scott Holly UNL PGM Program 83-73-75–231 +15
T23 Kyle Schellpeper Oak Hills 81-78-72–231 +15
T23 Ryan Norman Fox Run 73-82-76–231 +15
T23 Don Germer The Players Club at Deer 77-75-79–231 +15
27 Greg Neujahr Champions Run 83-75-75–233 +17
T28 Derrick Ceder Nebraska Wesleyan U. 80-78-76–234 +18
T28 Nathan Kalin Fremont GC 79-78-77–234 +18
T30 Brian Steventon Quarry Oaks 78-79-78–235 +19
T30 Sam Jonell Miracle Hill G&T 81-76-78–235 +19
T30 Billy Keane Sioux City CC 79-75-81–235 +19
T30 Mark Nygaard Stone Creek GC 76-77-82–235 +19
34 Kevin Drew Field Club of Omaha 81-78-78–237 +21
35 Nick Shanahan Shadow Ridge CC 77-81-80–238 +22
T36 Chris Cover Happy Hollow Club 77-80-82–239 +23
T36 James Sieckmann Shadow Ridge CC 78-81-80–239 +23
T36 Travis Anderson Wild Horse Golf Club 78-77-84–239 +23
T36 Brad Neunaber Hidden Valley GC 79-82-78–239 +23
40 Derek Jensen Highlands GC 84-77-80–241 +25
41 Bobby O’Keefe Oak Hills 79-79-84–242 +26
42 Nick St. Onge Country Club of Lincoln 83-84-80–247 +31
T43 Joe Sutter Quarry Oaks 84-76-88–248 +32
T43 Casey Richardson Dakota Dunes Country Club 82-81-85–248 +32
T43 Greg Gilg Field Club of Omaha 85-80-83–248 +32
T43 Austin Miller Omaha CC 85-84-79–248 +32
T43 William Jacobsen The Knolls GC 86-82-80–248 +32
T48 Dominick Mitchum Omaha CC 79-82-89–250 +34
T48 Tom Johnson Norfolk Country Club 83-83-84–250 +34
50 Gil Russell Norfolk Country Club 82-85-85–252 +36
T51 Scott Harmelink Green Valley Golf Course 80-85-89–254 +38
T51 Denis Vontz Highlands GC 80-91-83–254 +38
53 Seth Ray Beatrice Country Club 88-82-86–256 +40
T54 Derek Carlson Shadow Ridge CC 80-86-94–260 +44
T54 Mike VunCannon Elks Country Club 92-83-85–260 +44
56 Kevin Boehler Field Club of Omaha 86-85-90–261 +45
57 Josh Enholm Champions Run 90-90-87–267 +51
T58 Reed Schellen Elkhorn Acres GC 82-91-95–268 +52
T58 Scott Carlson Holmes Park GC 90-88-90–268 +52
60 Greg Johannesen Fairways at Lincoln 91-90-92–273 +57
61 James Weaver Platteview Country Club 81-84-113–278 +62