Benge Catches Fire to Win Junior Match Play Final
Championship Final Conducted Thursday at Platteview Golf Club
BELLEVUE (June 9, 2022) - The final match of the week at Platteview Golf Club in Bellevue went to Jackson Benge of Omaha, who caught fire to win the 33rd Nebraska Match Play Championship Final over No. 1 seed Thomas Bryson of Lincoln, 6 and 5.
It was both players’ first appearance in the Final, and Benge wasted no time getting the ball rolling. His birdie putt was conceded on the first hole, after Bryson played out of the trees and made bogey. He followed with another conceded birdie on No. 2 to go 2 up.
Bryson was struggling to get comfortable, sending an approach shot into the penalty area behind No. 3, allowing a par to win the hole for Benge. After four holes, Benge was in complete control, making yet another birdie to go 4 up.
Bryson forced the first tie of the match on No. 5, but Benge went right back to his birdie ways on No. 6, rolling in another. Bryson made his first birdie of the match on the short par-5 seventh, but Benge matched him with his fifth birdie in the first seven holes to keep his 5-up lead.
Benge held that lead into the back nine, but Bryson seemed to have steadied himself, making pars on Nos. 10 and 11 to tie each hole. He then wedged his approach shot close on No. 12, and looked to be making a dent in the lead. However, Benge chipped in for birdie, and Bryson's putt slid by, which proved to be the nail in the coffin.
On the short par-4 13th, Bryson nearly drove the green, but Benge hit his approach close, and was able to close out the match with a two-putt par.
The final bracket is available under the Scoring tab of the championship website below.
Nebraska Junior Match Play Championship
About the NGA
The Nebraska Golf Association, 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 the NGA. 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.
