Duffy Goes Wire-to-Wire at 28th Nebraska Senior Amateur
Final Round Conducted Wednesday at Tatanka Golf Club
NIOBRARA (July 15, 2026) - Omaha's Patrick Duffy is back in the winner's circle, after going wire-to-wire to win the 28th Nebraska Senior Amateur Championship at Tatanka Golf Club in Niobrara on Wednesday.
Duffy secured his first senior title with rounds of 70 (-2) and 74 (+2) for a 144 (E) total. He had finished in the top 5 three times at the Nebraska Senior Amateur since turning 50, including a runner-up finish in 2024.
It is Duffy's seventh NebGolf title, which moves him into a tie for seventh all-time on the men's title list. He's now won four different NebGolf championships, adding to his 2006 Nebraska Match Play win, two Nebraska Four-Ball trophies and three Nebraska Mid-Amateur titles. It's his first trophy since 2017.
Only three players broke par during the first round, with Duffy leading the way with his 70 (-2). He made four birdies throughout the round, and held off a couple of players with multiple NebGolf titles to hold the lead at the halfway point.
Elkhorn's Ryan Nietfeldt, playing in his first senior championship after turning 50 over the winter, and Gretna's Brian Csipkes were just a stroke back at 71 (-1). Nietfeldt owns 10 total titles, and has won every NebGolf championship except the seniors. Csipkes has already secured three titles on the senior circuit.
Duffy opened the Final Round with two bogeys in the first three holes, but held steady after that on more difficult day for scoring. No players in the Championship Division broke par on Wednesday, with three rounds of 73 (+1) the lowest of the day.
A stretch of six-straight pars close out the front nine for Duffy, in 38 (+2), and he made a crucial birdie on the par-4 10th hole to start the back nine. It was his only birdie of the day, but he went on another run of seven-straight pars, with others losing strokes to fall behind.
The second par-streak gave Duffy a two-stroke lead heading into the 18th hole, and he closed out a one-stroke victory over three others, despite a closing bogey.
Nietfeldt and Csipkes each shot rounds of 74 (+2) to stay a stroke short of Duffy. Omaha's Kevin Sullivan joined them in second with a round of 73 (+1), and a 145 (+1) total. It's the third runner-up finish in three years for Sullivan, who finished runner-up at the Nebraska Senior Match Play the past two years.
Lincoln's Jayson Brueggemann finished fifth with a 146 (+2) total.
Duffy also won the 50-57 Age Division, while Lincoln's Ed Wyatt won the 58-64 Age Division. Elkhorn's Steven Ritzman won the 65-71 Age Division, and Omaha's Steve Redlin ran away with the 72 & Over Division, finishing with a 139 (-5) total.
Final results and more are available at the championship website below.
Nebraska Senior Amateur 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.
