Lincoln, NE – The new host in Highlands Golf Course welcomed both Nebraska PGA Professionals and UNL PGA Golf Management students for a day that featured simultaneous events. Leading up to the event, NEPGA Professionals have been competing in a season-long points race to earn a spot into the 28-person Professional-only event known as the Nebraska PGA Cup Series Championship, presented by Vinnie Krikac’s State Farm Insurance Agency. The 28 players are matched up based on scoring average and they compete in an 18-hole format with the five best (and ties) advancing to the afternoon alternate shot shootout for all the marbles.
In addition to that event, the two NEPGA Professionals partner up with two UNL PGM students to compete as a four-person team with the front nine being played as a best-ball event and the back nine as a scramble. This allows for a unique day where current PGA Members meet and share experiences with the aspiring PGA Members at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
Play teed off with a shotgun start at 10:00am and the event was underway. Not many teams got off to a better start than Ted DiGiacomo, PGA of Happy Hollow Club and Christian Hall, PGA of Tiburon Golf Club. The two not only got to 4-under to lead early in the round in the Professional event, but they found themselves atop the team leaderboard as well with UNL PGM students Jackson Hamlin and Colin O’Brien.
After a slow start in their first few holes, Ryan Vermeer, PGA of Happy Hollow Club and Stuart Moore of Awarii Dunes GC lit it up on the back nine scramble portion. The duo made 5 birdies and an eagle on the back nine to shoot 29 (7-under) and they finished at 11-under for the round in the Professional event.
Making their day even more impressive, their four-person team with UNL PGM students Trey Even and Will Pasch shot 17-under to win the Pro/Students event.
Joining Vermeer & Moore at 11-under was Justin Herron, PGA of Oak Hills Country Club and Austin Miller, PGA. The other four teams to join those two in the shootout was Steve Friesen, PGA of Firethorn/Dom Mitchum, PGA of Omaha Country Club, Christian Hall, PGA/Ted DiGiacomo, PGA, Nick Shanahan, PGA of Shadow Ridge Country Club/Kevin Drew, PGA of PGA of America and Kyle Schellpeper, PGA of Wayne Country Club/Tony Baranowski, PGA of Platteview Golf Club.
After the first three holes eliminated teams, it came down to the two best scores in regulation for the Vinnie Cup. Vermeer/Moore and Herron/Miller were the final teams left and it took two holes to determine a champion. Moore hit a piercing stinger with a beautiful draw through the wind to reach the green on the par 4 – 5th hole from the tee. That gave Moore & Vermeer the advantage and they capitalized to win the 2023 Nebraska PGA Cup Series Championship, presented by Vinnie Krikac’s State Farm Insurance Agency.
We would like to thank Vinnie Krikac for his continued support in not only the Nebraska Section PGA but both Nebraska Junior Golf and PGA REACH Nebraska. We would also like to thank supporting sponsors from the event AHEAD, Sterling Cut Glass, Chesterman Co. Coca-Cola and the PGA TOUR. Lastly, we would like to thank Host Professional Dennis Vontz, PGA and his entire team at Highlands Golf Course for hosting a great event. We look ahead to next week’s season finale at The Club at Indian Creek for our 2023 Nebraska PGA Facilities Championship!