115th Nebraska Amateur Travels West to Scottsbluff
Championship Begins Thursday at Scotts Bluff Country Club
SCOTTSBLUFF (July 17, 2023) – The state's oldest championship will travel west to the Panhandle with the 115th Nebraska Amateur Championship to be staged at Scotts Bluff Country Club, July 20-23.
This will be the fourth time hosting the storied championship for Scotts Bluff Country Club, and the first since 2012, when Wahoo's Greg Sohl won with a 280 (-8) total. Chadron's Dale Williamson won with the same total there in 1994, while Beatrice's Dave Maurstad earned a title there in 1981, surviving the longest playoff in championship history (10 holes).
A strong field of 139 players will try to join the list of Panhandle champions. The Nebraska Amateur also was hosted in the area in 1975 at Skyview Golf Course in Alliance, and Scottsbluff's Mike Klein set a new scoring record with a 271 (-17) total. Skyview also hosted in 1963, when the great Bob Astleford of Omaha won his fourth title, and second of six-straight.
The field includes four past champions, including the last three to hoist the trophy. The defending champion, Shaun Campbell of Omaha, returns in hopes of being the first player to win back-to-back titles since Omaha's Alex Schaake won four-straight (2016-2019).
The Creighton golfer from New Zealand put together a historic performance last year, becoming the first player to finish a Nebraska Amateur at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln in red figures.
Campbell is joined by David Easley of Lincoln, the 2021 Champion, and 2020 Champion Andy Sajevic in the first two rounds. Sajevic is looking for his fifth Amateur Championship win and ninth NebGolf title, which would move him to third all-time in wins.
Accompanying Sajevic is previous champions Ryan Nietfeldt of Elkhorn (2002). Nietfeldt is coming off a runner-up finish at this year's Nebraska Match Play. Nietfeldt is paired with Reed Malleck of York and 2021 Junior Amateur Champion Connor Steichen of Omaha.
Calvin Freeman of Table Rock is also in the field after taking home the trophy in this year's Nebraska Match Play. Freeman is paired with 2022 Junior Amateur Champion Trevor Gutschewski and 2018 Mid-Amateur Champion Travis Minzel.
Scotts Bluff Golf Club is a par-72 layout that will measure 7,071 yards for the championship. The course features four par-3s, 10 par-4s, and four par-5s.
Play begins at 8 a.m. off both Nos. 1 and 10 tees on Thursday and Friday, after which the field will be cut to the low 60 scores and ties for Saturday and Sunday's rounds.
Groupings and starting times for the first two rounds are available on the championship website, along with the scoring page and additional information.
About NebGolf
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.
