Awards & Recognition

SCHAAKE IS NEBRASKA GOLFER OF THE YEAR AGAIN

Omaha - The Nebraska Golf Association is proud to announce the selection of Omaha’s Alex Schaake as the 2018 Nebraska Amateur Golfer of the Year. Schaake is the 51st recipient of this award, which was introduced 50 years ago in 1968, when Lincoln’s R.B. Lau won the inaugural award.

It is the fifth straight postseason recognition for Schaake, who is the fifth player to win this award in back-to-back years, joining St. Paul’s Dan Bahensky (1971-1972), Lincoln’s Steve Statton (1979-1980), Elkhorn’s Ryan Nietfeldt (2002-2003) and Gibbon’s Rylee Reinertson (2015-2016). Prior to winning the award in 2017, Schaake had won three straight Nebraska Junior Amateur Golfer of the Year awards from 2014-2016. He also joins Reinertson and Andy Sajevic, now of Omaha, as the only players to win both awards at least twice.

Schaake continues to cement his name in history, putting together another incredible 2018 campaign. He won at least one NGA title for the fifth straight year, and won at least two titles for the third time in that stretch. Schaake became the sixth player to sweep the NGA’s majors, winning the Nebraska Amateur and the Nebraska Match Play, and is the first to do so since Sajevic in 2013. He’s now played in 22 NGA championships, winning nine of those, which ties John Sajevic of Fremont and Knox Jones of Lincoln for the most all-time men’s titles.

It was another dominant performance for Schaake at the 110th Nebraska Amateur Championship at Fremont Golf Club in July. The University of Iowa junior cruised to an impressive 271 (-13) total to win by nine strokes, tied for the second largest winning margin in Nebraska Amateur history. Schaake join greats Johnny Goodman and Bob Astleford of Omaha as the only players to win at least three straight titles. He also joins six other players who have won three Nebraska Amateurs, the fourth most all-time.

In June, Schaake did something he hadn’t done before, winning the 51st Nebraska Match Play Championship at his home club, Champions Run in Omaha. Schaake earned co-medalist honors in Stroke Play Qualifying, then battled through a tough bracket as the No. 2 seed, twice winning in extra-holes, including over the 2018 Nebraska Junior Golfer of the Year, Luke Kluver of Norfolk in the semifinals. He also took down the defending champion, Jay Cottam of Hebron in the Round of 16. He then won big in the 36-hole final, defeating Husker golfer Jace Guthmiller, 7 and 6.

In addition to the historic sweep, Schaake was medalist at Sectional Qualifying for the 2018 U.S. Amateur Championship, where he scorched Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln with rounds of 68 (-3) and 64 (-7) for a 132 (-10) total. He advanced to play in the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach and narrowly missed the cut to match play. Schaake advanced through Monday Qualifying to get into the Web.com Tour’s Pinnacle Bank Championship at The Club at Indian Creek in Elkhorn. He was runner-up to Kluver at the Dinsdale Classic at Riverside Golf Club in Grand Island, and finished tied for third at the Indian Creek Invitational. Schaake also finished T-35 at the Sunnehanna Amateur against a very talented national field.

Schaake will be honored at the Nebraska Golf Association's annual awards banquet on Friday, November 16 at Omaha Country Club. In addition, the NGA will recognize its Senior Amateur Golfer of the Year, Junior Amateur Golfer of the Year and Girls’ Amateur Golfer of the Year. The Nebraska Women's Amateur Golf Association's Player of the Year will also be honored.

SAJEVIC IS NEBRASKA SENIOR GOLFER OF THE YEAR AGAIN

Omaha – The Nebraska Golf Association is proud to announce the selection of Fremont’s John Sajevic as the 2018 Nebraska Senior Amateur Golfer of the Year for a record sixth time.

Sajevic has now won the honor six of the seven years it has been awarded, winning in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017 as well. He was also the Nebraska Amateur Golfer of the Year twice, in 1989 and 1996.

The 62-year-old Sajevic continues to etch his name on trophies and write his name in the record books. He did both at the 20th Nebraska Senior Amateur Championship at ArborLinks in May. Sajevic won a record third Senior Amateur title, and did so in spectacular fashion, setting several other records along the way. His final round 66 (-6) is the lowest score in championship history, and his 139 (-5) 36-hole total is the second lowest, only behind his own record of 138 (-6), which he set in 2016. It all added up to a whopping nine-stroke win, shattering the old record for winning margin, which was previously five strokes. The win also gave Sajevic a ninth overall NGA title, which at the time tied him with Lincoln’s Knox Jones for the most all-time. Omaha’s Alex Schaake joined them at nine later in the summer.

At his home club in July, Sajevic added to an already incredible resume at the Nebraska Amateur. Sajevic just missed out on another Top 5 finish at the 110th Nebraska Amateur Championship at Fremont Golf Club, finishing tied for sixth at 285 (+1). It was the 23rd Top 10 finish of his career, which extends a record he already owns, and a 33rd Top 25 finish, another record. He’s now just one behind the great Larry Sock in a couple other categories as well, by making his 33rd 36-hole cut, and also making the cut for the 19th straight year.

In addition to those record-setting performances, Sajevic again advanced to match play at the 51st Nebraska Match Play Championship at Champions Run in Omaha, losing in the Round of 32. He finished tied for third at the 20th Nebraska Mid-Amateur Championship at Wild Horse Golf Club in Gothenburg, and teamed up with his son, Andy, to finish third at the 17th Nebraska Four-Ball Championship at The Players Club in Omaha. They were also the first alternates at Sectional Qualifying for the 2019 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship at ArborLinks last month. Sajevic added a T-3 finish at the Fremont Invitational, and a T-4 finish at the Dinsdale Classic to round out another great year.

Sajevic will be honored at the Nebraska Golf Association's annual awards banquet on Friday, November 16 at Omaha Country Club. In addition, the NGA will recognize its Amateur Golfer of the Year, Junior Amateur Golfer of the Year and Girls’ Amateur Golfer of the Year. The Nebraska Women's Amateur Golf Association's Player of the Year will also be honored.

STRICKLAND IS NEBRASKA GIRLS' GOLFER OF THE YEAR

Omaha - The Nebraska Golf Association is proud to announce the selection of Lincoln’s Kate Strickland as the 2018 Nebraska Girls’ Amateur Golfer of the Year.

At just 14-years-old, Strickland is the youngest player to win this award, which was first presented in 1998. The young Strickland had the award wrapped up before she even attended her first high school class. Now a freshman at Lincoln Southwest, Strickland burst onto the scene in her first season competing at the championship level. She’s long been a successful junior competitor, winning on the Nebraska Junior Golf Tour and she was the first Nebraskan to qualify for the national Drive, Chip and Putt Finals at Augusta National back in 2014. This year, she made the jump to play in the NGA’s junior championships, and she did not miss a step, winning one and finishing runner-up at the other.

Strickland kicked off her season by making a run at the 56th Nebraska Girls’ Match Play Championship at York Country Club in June. She entered match play as the No. 7 seed and made presence known, winning her first two matches before outlasting Seward’s Kendra Placke in a 22-hole semifinal battle. Strickland had to turn around and play the No. 1 seed Megan Whittaker of Elkhorn in the final that afternoon, and put up a fight, but ran out of gas and fell, 3 and 2. It was Whittaker’s second title in three years.

A month later, Strickland was ready for another shot. She trailed by three strokes after the first round of the 18th Nebraska Girls’ Amateur Championship at Elks Country Club in Columbus. She took charge on the back nine with a key birdie on the par-4 14th, and cruised into the clubhouse to win by two strokes with a final round 75 (+3). Strickland is the youngest to win the Girls’ Amateur as well, winning just three-and-a-half months after her 14th birthday.

In addition to her success at the junior level, Strickland stepped up to compete in the women’s championships. She advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2018 Nebraska Women’s Match Play Championship at Yankee Hill Country Club in Lincoln, and finished tied for sixth at the 2018 Nebraska Women’s Amateur Championship at Beatrice Country Club.

Strickland will be honored at the Nebraska Golf Association's annual awards banquet on Friday, November 16 at Omaha Country Club. In addition, the NGA will recognize its Amateur Golfer of the Year, Junior Amateur Golfer of the Year and Senior Amateur Golfer of the Year. The Nebraska Women's Amateur Golf Association's Player of the Year will also be honored.

KLUVER CLAIMS JUNIOR GOLFER OF THE YEAR HONOR AGAIN

Omaha - The Nebraska Golf Association is proud to announce the selection of Norfolk's Luke Kluver as the 2018 Nebraska Junior Amateur Golfer of the Year.

Kluver is the seventh player to win the award in back-to-back years. Despite not playing in either of the NGA's junior championships, Kluver won the season points race by a large margin. In his sole NGA championship start, Kluver advanced all the way to the semifinals of the 51st Nebraska Match Play Championship at Champions Run in Omaha. He only lost to the eventual champion Alex Schaake of Omaha, who was playing on his home course, in extra holes. Kluver also shot the lowest round of Stroke Play Qualifying, a 5-under 67 that propelled him to share medalist honors with Schaake and Sean Song of Omaha at 139 (-5).

One of his best moments came at ArborLinks in Nebraska City, where Kluver shot rounds of 69 (-3) and 67 (-5) to earn a spot in the Web.com Tour’s Pinnacle Bank Championship. He topped a strong field of amateurs and professionals at the Nebraska Qualifier to advance to the Web.com Tour event at The Club at Indian Creek in Elkhorn. Kluver went on to shoot rounds of 74 (+3) and 71 (E) at Indian Creek to miss the cut by four strokes.

Kluver also notched wins at the Dinsdale Classic at Riverside Golf Club in Grand Island and at the Labor Day Classic at his home club, Norfolk Country Club. He came away from both wins with tournament records as well. The first was in the first round of the Dinsdale, as Kluver matched the tournament record of 64 (-8), before outdueling Schaake in the final round to win by one stroke. Then he scorched his home course, Norfolk Country Club, during the final round to set a tournament and course record with a 10-under par 62. He won the tournament by 17 strokes with a 129 (-15) total.

Kluver had success at the junior level as well, finishing tied for fifth at the national Boys Junior PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. He won his second NSAA Class A individual title in May, and finished T-25 at the North and South Junior at Pinehurst Resort in July.

Kluver will be honored at the Nebraska Golf Association's annual awards banquet on Friday, November 16 at Omaha Country Club. In addition, the NGA will recognize its Amateur Golfer of the Year, Girls’ Amateur Golfer of the Year and Senior Amateur Golfer of the Year. The Nebraska Women's Amateur Golf Association's Player of the Year will also be honored.

Members of the Junior All-Star Team were chosen based upon their performance in state and/or national tournaments and state-select team events in 2018. In addition, other criteria considered in determining Junior All-Star Teams include a player's compliance with the United States Golf Association's Rules of Golf and a player's integrity and conduct both on and off the golf course.

Members of the 2018 Junior All-Star Team are: