Cornelius, Christiansen Share Medalist Honors at Nebraska Senior Match Play
Stroke Play Qualifying Conducted Monday at Fremont Golf Club
FREMONT (September 22, 2025) - Cozad's Smokey Cornelius and Yutan's Randy Christiansen shared medalist honors after Stroke Play Qualifying for the 15th Nebraska Senior Match Play Championship at Fremont Golf Club on Monday.
Cornelius and Christiansen both shot rounds of 71 (E) to earn the top spots in the bracket. The No. 1 seed went to Cornelius, after a random draw, making Christiansen the No. 2 seed.
Cornelius made five birdies during his round to get him to the top spot in the bracket. He's looking for his first title, and will be facing Omaha's Doug Niemann in the Round of 16. Niemann advanced through a playoff for the final spot in the bracket, chipping in for par on the first hole and then making the only par out of four players on the second hole.
The No. 2 seeded Christiansen is looking for a senior sweep, after winning his second-straight Nebraska Senior Amateur in June. He would be just the third player to win both senior championships in the same year. Christiansen birdied four of his last five holes to match Cornelius' round. He will play the No. 15 seed, Jeff Russell of Elkhorn.
Five past champions made the championship bracket, including No. 3 seed Ed Wyatt of Lincoln (2019), No. 4 John Sajevic of Fremont (2021), No. 7 seed Kirby Smith of Omaha (2020), No. 11 seed Matt Haynes of Bellevue (2018 & 2024) and No. 12 seed Brian Csipkes of Gretna (2022 & 2023).
The next 16 players in the Championship Division were seeded into the President's Bracket, while two brackets of eight were seeded in the Tournament Division.
Match play begins on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. The brackets and pairings are available on the championship website below, along with full qualifying results and additional information.
Nebraska Senior Match Play Championship
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.
