Sajevic on the Verge of Another Title at 117th Nebraska Amateur
Round Three Conducted Wednesday at The Club at Indian Creek
ELKHORN (June 25, 2025) - Elkhorn's Andy Sajevic is on the verge of more history, leading the 117th Nebraska Amateur Championship after the third round on Wednesday at The Club at Indian Creek in Elkhorn.
Sajevic posted his third-straight round under par, a 71 (-1), and leads by three strokes with a 209 (-7) total. A fifth title would make him just the fourth player to do so, and the first in 60 years. Omaha's Bob Astleford won his fifth of eight titles in 1964, joining Sam Reynolds and Rod Bliss Jr., as the only players to own at least five. No one has joined the club since.
The third round was the only round to be completed without a suspension so far during the championship. Though weather still played a factor, as the wind picked up and made for some difficult scoring conditions.
Sajevic had a difficult start, losing his opening drive in tall grass well right of the fairway on No. 1. The double-bogey dropped him out of the lead, but only briefly. He soon rolled in a bending putt on the par-5 fourth to tied the lead at 5-under.
Gretna's Nolan Johnson was also at 5-under through four holes, after a birdie on No. 3. At one point on the front nine, the last group of Sajevic, Johnson and Husker Evan McDermott were the only players under par for the championship. Sajevic and Johnson stayed knotted after both bogeyed the difficult par-3 eighth hole.
The moves started happening on the back nine though, as the short par-5 11th made for some drama. McDermott had an eagle putt creep into the cup to get to 4-under, before Sajevic's eagle try slid by the edge and he tapped in for birdie. Johnson looked to be in trouble the entire hole, but rolled in a long birdie putt to keep pace with Sajevic at 5-under.
That's when Sajevic made his move though, as he added birdies on Nos. 13 and 15, to get to 7-under. Johnson bogeyed Nos. 12, 14 and 16 to fall off the pace. McDermott made bogey on No. 13, but bounced back with a birdie on the par-5 15th to stay within striking distance of Sajevic.
Sajevic nearly made birdie on each of the closing three holes, but tap-in birdies carried his three-stroke lead to the final round. McDermott also closed out a third-straight round in red figures, a 71 (-1), to stay in second at 212 (-4). He'll be in the final pairing with Sajevic at 12:29 p.m. on Thursday.
Omaha's Jackson Benge, another Husker, matched the round of the day with a 68 (-4). That moved him up into a tie for third at 213 (-3) with Table Rock's Calvin Freeman, the 2023 Nebraska Match Play Champion. Freeman caught fire late with four birdies in his final five holes to rebound from a tough start and move back into contention with a 72 (E).
Johnson fell down to fifth at 214 (-2) after a round of 75 (+3), while the 2025 Nebraska Junior Amateur Champion Jaxson Hinze of Waco is the only other player under-par at 215 (-1). Hinze recorded his best round of the week on Wednesday, a 71 (-1).
Three players are tied for seventh at 216 (E), including Husker Davis Johnson, who holed out on the par-4 18th hole for eagle to shoot 70 (-2). Omaha's Sam Vocelka and Ashland's Coltrane Mittag are also at even-par.
Omaha's Mike Siwa matched Benge with a round of 68 (-4) to move into the Top 10, tied with Creighton golfer Grant Feldman at 217 (+1).
The Final Round will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, with twosomes going off No. 1. The Leaders are scheduled to tee off at 12:29 p.m.
Full results are available on the championship website, along with additional information.
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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.
