Gerch, Spellerberg Share Medalist Honors at 58th Nebraska Match Play
Stroke Play Qualifying Conducted Monday and Tuesday at Tatanka Golf Club
NIOBRARA (July 15, 2025) – Lincoln's Gavin Gerch and Bennington's Johnny Spellerberg shared medalist honors after Stroke Play Qualifying was completed on Tuesday for the 58th Nebraska Match Play Championship at Tatanka Golf Club in Niobrara.
Gerch and Spellerberg played alongside each other in a two-some over both days of qualifying, after a withdrawal in their group. They went shot-for-shot, both opening with rounds of 68 (-4) on Monday and closing with 73 (+1) on Tuesday to lead the field at 141 (-3). Spellerberg, the 2022 Champion, is the No. 1 seed after a random draw, and Gerch will be the No. 2 seed.
It looked like Gerch would run away to his second-straight medalist honors at the Nebraska Match Play. He torched The Country Club of Lincoln last year to the tune of 11-under, and was well on his way to doing the same this year. He reached 7-under after birdies on Nos. 7 and 8, but the difficult tee shot on the par-5 ninth got the best of him. Gerch finished with a quadruple-bogey-9, dropping back to 3-under.
Spellerberg made birdie on No. 9 to move into a tie at 3-under with Gerch. He's looking to become the eighth player with multiple titles. Spellerberg has also already won two NebGolf championships at Tatanka, taking the Nebraska Four-Ball in back-to-back years with partner Austin Miller.
The defending champion is the No. 3 seed. Gretna's Beau Petersen shot back-to-back rounds of 71 (-1) to get a top seed in his title chase.
Four past champions made the bracket, including Spellerberg and Petersen. The 2023 Champion Calvin Freeman of Table Rock finished at 144 (E), and he'll be the No. 9 seed, playing Sam Wells of Saint Paul. Elkhorn's Ryan Nietfeldt, the 2003 Champion, tied for 15th at 146 (+2), and will be the No. 18 seed. Nietfeldt, a former Husker, will be playing another Husker, Grant Jabenis of Omaha, the No. 15 seed.
A playoff was needed to complete the bracket, with 34 players finishing at 149 (+5) or better. Six players competed for four spots, with 2008 Nebraska Amateur Champion Jayson Brueggemann of Lincoln, William Amundsen of Bennington and Glenn Bills of Bennington all making birdie on the first playoff holes to secure their spots. Brayden Schram of Hastings took the last spot after the third playoff hole, No. 17, rolling in a 15-foot par putt to claim the No. 32 seed.
Schram will play Spellerberg in the Round of 32, while Bills, the No. 31 seed, will play Gerch. Amundsen is the No. 30 seed, and is set to take on Petersen.
Play begins at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday for the Round 32. The bracket is available on the championship website below, along with the scoring page and additional information.
Nebraska 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.
