Sajevic Notches Historic Title at 117th Nebraska Amateur
Final Round Conducted Thursday at The Club at Indian Creek
ELKHORN (June 26, 2025) - Elkhorn's Andy Sajevic cruised to a historic win at the 117th Nebraska Amateur Championship during the Final Round on Thursday at The Club at Indian Creek in Elkhorn.
Sajevic recorded his fourth-straight round in red figures, a 71 (-1), to close out a fifth Nebraska Amateur title. His 280 (-8) total gave him a four-stroke win and he became the fourth player to win at least five times, and the first in more than 60 years. He joins Omaha's Bob Astleford, who won his fifth of eight titles in 1964, Sam Reynolds (7) and Rod Bliss Jr. (6).
Weather plagued the championship once again, as a storm passed through in the morning and the Final Round was delayed 30 minutes. Sajevic was less than two minutes from starting his round when lightning showed up again, and suspended play for 85 minutes.
The leader finally got started after play resumed at 2:22 p.m. central time. He made par on the first hole, but a bogey on the second hole was his first dropped shot since the eighth hole on Wednesday. Sajevic rebounded with a birdie on the par-5 fourth hole, and closed the front nine with another birdie to push his lead to five strokes at the turn at 8-under.
Sajevic's closest competitors couldn't make a move early. Husker Evan McDermott was within striking distance, but made a triple-bogey on the ninth hole to drop too far back. Table Rock's Calvin Freeman made 11-straight pars to start his round, and fell off Sajevic' pace.
A bogey on No. 10 by Sajevic opened the door for everyone, but he responded with birdies on both back nine par-5s, after laying up on each. He put on a master class on the par-5s this week, playing them in 11-under par. Sajevic pushed his lead to six strokes momentarily with the birdie on No. 15, but a few contenders put a little pressure on him.
Gretna's Nolan Johnson made five back nine birdies to get within four strokes of Sajevic at one point. However, a closing bogey gave Sajevic some breathing room on his last couple holes. Johnson's round of 70 (-2) was one of eight in red figures during the Final Round, and he finished as the Runner-Up with a 284 (-4) total.
Another player put together a run on Thursday, as Ashland's Coltrane Mittag was one of three players to break 70. He fired a 69 (-3) to grab the clubhouse lead briefly, and eventually finished third at 285 (-3). Mittag, a University of Oklahoma commit, earned Low Junior honors for the second-straight year.
Those were the only three players to finish under par at The Club at Indian Creek, one of the toughest championship venues in Nebraska. Three players tied for fourth at 288 (E), including Omaha's Sam Vocelka, who shot four-straight rounds of 72 (E). Freeman shot 75 (+3) and McDermott shot 76 (+4) to fall down into the tie for fourth.
Husker Hamish Murray, who finished runner-up in 2024, played his last three rounds in 7-under, including a Final Round 70 (-2) to tie for seventh at 289 (+1). Luke Gutschewski and Jackson Benge, both of Omaha, also finished at 1-over par. Another Husker, Davis Johnson, rounded out the Top 10 at 290 (+2).
Omaha's Christopher Whittle and Husker Rudy Sautron of France posted the rounds of the day, each shooting 67 (-5), to move up into a tie for 11th at 291 (+3).
Full results are available on the championship website, along with additional information.
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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.
