Russell Triumphs at Home Club to Win Nebraska Senior Match Play
Semifinals and Final Conducted Thursday at Fremont Golf Club
FREMONT (September 25, 2025) - Elkhorn's Jeff Russell had a clutch finish to win the 15th Nebraska Senior Match Play Championship on Thursday at his home club, Fremont Golf Club.
Russell defeated Omaha's Kevin Sullivan in 19 holes to secure the title and his first NebGolf trophy. The FGC member won the 18th and 19th holes to complete the comeback.
The two former club professionals battled back-and-forth all day, with Sullivan taking the first lead after No. 1. He then chipped in for birdie on No. 2, but Russell followed with a 20-foot birdie putt of his own to tie the hole. Russell then chipped in himself to win the third hole and tie the match. He'd win the nest two holes as well to take his first lead, 2 up.
Sullivan started to get dialed in late on the front nine, hitting back-to-back approach shots to gimme range on Nos. 7 and 8, tying the match. He struck a couple more pure irons on Nos. 10 and 12, and two-putted both for wins to take a 2-up lead.
Russell showed no quit though, as he made an incredible par save from just inside 100 yards on No. 13. He hit his approach shot close on No. 14 and won with a par to cut Sullivan's lead to 1 up.
The next three holes were tied, although Russell had putts to win Nos. 15 and 16, and both did not drop. Sullivan then had a par putt on No. 17 to win the match, but it just slid by the hole, keeping Russell alive.
Both players hit good approach shots into the 18th hole, but with a chance to putt first, Russell rolled his birdie in from about 20 feet. Sullivan's attempt just missed, and the match went to extra holes. It was the second-straight year that the Final went to extra holes, with Sullivan falling to Bellevue's Matt Haynes in 21 holes last year.
Sullivan pulled his approach shot on the first extra-hole, No. 1, and eventually made bogey. Russell was just off the green to the left, and with a chance to win, rolled in a sliding par putt to close out the match in 19 holes.
In the Semifinals, Sullivan took out another hometown favorite, John Sajevic of Fremont, the 2021 Champion. Sullivan won the match, 2 and 1. Russell faced a battle against Lincoln's Jayson Brueggemann, again finishing strong, winning three holes on the back nine to close out the match, 3 and 2.
Three other brackets crowned winners as well, with Omaha's Ryan Knispel taking the President's Bracket over Bennington's David Baker, 6 and 5. In the Tournament Division, Omaha's Eric Church won the Astleford Bracket, 5 and 4, over Fremont's Bill Lawson. Fremont's Leslie Johnson won the Reynolds Bracket, 3 and 1, over Patrick Hoshor of Omaha.
The final brackets are available on the championship website below, along with 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.
