Norfolk to Host 118th Nebraska Amateur
Championship Begins Tuesday at Norfolk Country Club
OMAHA (July 27, 2026) - A full field of 156 players is headed to Norfolk Country Club, as the 118th Nebraska Amateur returns this week, July 28-31.
It will be the sixth time hosting the Nebraska Amateur for Norfolk Country Club, tied forth sixth all-time with Fremont Golf Club and Lochland Country Club.
The club last hosted in 2014, when Friend's David Clouse turned back the clock in a dominant performance to become the oldest champion, at 54. Clouse fired a final round 66 (-6) to claim his second title by seven strokes with a 275 (-13) total. The win came 15 years after his first Nebraska Amateur trophy in 1999.
Norfolk Country Club first hosted in 1969, and Fairbury's Frank Rose won his first title that year. He'd go on to win another Nebraska Amateur in 1986, a span of 17 years between victories, which is still a record. Mike Klein of Scottsbluff won in 1978, and Lincoln's Larry Sock won his second of three titles there in 1988. Omaha's Jay Muller claimed his only title at NCC in 1995.
Norfolk Country Club, No. 6 (Par 5, 540 yards)
Norfolk Country Club is a par-72, and will play at 6,839 yards for the championship, with a Course Rating of 73.4 and a Slope Rating of 131. The signature sixth hole is a par-5, measuring 540 yards.
The field of 156 players includes three past champions, and eight of the Top-10 players in NebGolf's SWAG Point Standings. Elkhorn's Ryan Nietfeldt (2002), Lincoln's Jayson Brueggemann (2008) and Lincoln's David Easley (2021) are all back looking for a second title.
Nietfeldt, a newly-turned senior golfer at 50-years-old, has played in two Nebraska Amateurs at Norfolk Country Club previously. He finished 10th in 1995, and T-22 in 2014. After a third-place finish in 2022, Nietfeldt has been outside the Top-15 the last few years, but he has one of the best active Nebraska Amateur resumes. He's tied for fourth on the all-time cuts made list with 22, and has eight Top-5 finishes, which is tied for eighth all-time.
Ryan Nietfeldt, 2002 Champion
Brueggemann is not far behind Nietfeldt on his resume. The 2008 Champion is tied for 11th in cuts made with 17, and has 11 Top-25 finishes, just outside of the Top-10 all-time. Easley finally broke through for his first title in 2021, after years of close calls. He's tied with Brueggmann with 17 cuts made, and has 15 Top-25 finishes under his belt.
Jayson Brueggemann, 2008 Champion
David Easley, 2021 Champion
Nietfeldt is paired with Jay Moore of Lincoln and Connor Steichen of Omaha for the first two rounds. They'll tee off No. 1 at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Brueggemann will tee off No. 19 at 2:10 p.m. alongside La Vista's Alex Zillig and Lincoln's Parker Bunting. Easley is joined by Elkhorn's Danny Woodhead and Omaha's Jacob Cosimano off No. 10 at 1:50 p.m.
The leader in the SWAG Point Standings, Coltrane Mittag of Ashland, is in the field coming off his win at the 59th Nebraska Match Play Championship last month. The UNC Tarheel finished fourth at the Nebraska Amateur in 2024, and third last years. He was the Low Junior both years, and out of his eight Nebraska Amateur rounds, six were under-par. He'll tee it up with No. 6 in the SWAG Standings, Gavin Gerch of Lincoln, and No. 10, Kingston Solomon of Omaha, at 2:10 p.m. off No. 1.
In the group ahead at 2:00 p.m., two-time Nebraska Amateur Golfer of the Year Johnny Spellerberg of Bennington will play in a group with Omaha's Jackson Benge, the 2022 Nebraska Junior Match Play Champion, and Ralston's Peyton Koch.
Two groups later at 2:20 p.m. off No. 1, is No. 2 in the SWAG Point Standings, Calvin Freeman of Table Rock. The 2023 Nebraska Match Play Champion made the Quarterfinals in that championship this year, and won the Allen Capital Group Championship at Riverside Golf Club in Grand Island. He's joined by Lincoln's Zack Erstad, and the 2026 Nebraska Junior Match Play Champion, Miles Elgert of Lincoln.
The 2026 Nebraska Junior Amateur Champion, Tommy Kelley of Omaha, is also in the field. He's paired with two-time Nebraska Junior Amateur Champion, Beau Petersen of Gretna, and Brock Kuhlman of Columbus, who won the Nebraska Four-Ball this year.
Inside the Field
- Total Players: 156
- Cities Represented: 38
- NebGolf Member Clubs Represented: 38
Age Breakdown
- Average Age: 26.0 years
- Youngest Player: Oliver Athen (Omaha) β 15.2 years old
- Oldest Player: Steve Buroker (Bennington) β 56.1 years old
- Senior Golfers: 7
- Junior Golfers: 48
Age Distribution
- Under 18: 34 players
- 18β24: 69 players
- 25β39: 28 players
- 40β54: 23 players
- 55+: 2 players
Handicap Index Facts
- Average Handicap Index: +1.31
- Handicap Index Range: +6.0 to 3.8
- Plus Handicaps: 111
NebGolf Champions in the Field: 19
Jackson Benge, Omaha (2022 Nebraska Junior Match Play)
Jayson Brueggemann, Lincoln (2008 Nebraska Amateur)
Brian Csipkes, Gretna (2022 Nebraska Senior Amateur; 2022 & 2023 Nebraska Senior Match Play)
David Easley, Lincoln (2021 Nebraska Amateur; 2024 Nebraska Mid-Amateur; 2006, 2012 & 2020 Nebraska Four-Ball)
Miles Elgert, Lincoln (2026 Nebraska Junior Match Play)
Calvin Freeman, Table Rock (2023 Nebraska Match Play)
Jaxson Hinze, Waco (2025 Nebraska Junior Amateur)
Tommy Kelley, Omaha (2026 Nebraska Junior Amateur)
Ryan Knispel, Omaha (2019 Nebraska Four-Ball)
Ben Kottmeyer, Lincoln (2025 Nebraska Junior Match Play)
Brock Kuhlman, Columbus (2026 Nebraska Four-Ball)
Travis Minzel, Lincoln (2004 Nebraska Match Play; 2010, 2011 & 2018 Nebraska Mid-Amateur; 2011 & 2015 Nebraska Four-Ball)
Coltrane Mittag, Ashland (2026 Nebraska Match Play)
Ryan Nietfeldt, Elkhorn (2002 Nebraska Amateur, 2003 Nebraska Match Play, 2001, 2013 & 2019 Nebraska Mid-Amateur; 1993 & 1994 Nebraska Junior Amateur, 1993 Nebraska Junior Match Play, 2019 & 2022 Nebraska Four-Ball)
Beau Petersen, Gretna (2024 Nebraska Match Play; 2023 & 2024 Nebraska Junior Amateur)
Johnny Spellerberg, Bennington (2022 Nebraska Match Play; 2021, 2022 & 2023 Nebraska Match Play; 2010 Nebraska Junior Match Play; 2023 & 2024 Nebraska Four-Ball)
Connor Steichen, Omaha (2021 Nebraska Junior Amateur)
Scott Tridle, Lincoln (2011 & 2015 Nebraska Four-Ball)
Owen Tucker, Lincoln (2023 Nebraska Junior Match Play)
Most 36-hole Cuts Made
Ryan Nietfeldt, Elkhorn - 22
Travis Minzel, Lincoln - 18
Jayson Brueggemann, Lincoln - 17
Brian Csipkes, Gretna - 17
David Easley, Lincoln - 17
Scott Tridle, Lincoln - 14
Ryan Knispel, Omaha - 13
Most Top-25 Finishes
Ryan Nietfeldt, Elkhorn - 22
David Easley, Lincoln - 15
Travis Minzel, Lincoln - 10
Most Top-5 Finishes
Ryan Nietfeldt, Elkhorn - 8
Career Rounds Under-Par
Ryan Nietfeldt, Elkhorn 22
David Easley, Lincoln 18
Calvin Freeman, Table Rock 13
Brian Csipkes, Gretna 12
Brock Ehler, Scottsbluff 11
Travis Minzel, Lincoln 9
Johnny Spellerberg, Bennington 8
Grant Jabenis, Omaha 8
The 72-hole Stroke Play Championship begins at 8 a.m. off both Nos. 1 and 10 tees on Tuesday and Wednesday, after which the field will be cut to the low 60 scores and ties for Thursday's and Friday's rounds.
Groupings and starting times for the first two rounds are available on the championship website, along with the scoring page and additional information.
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.
