Campbell Distances Himself from the Field at Nebraska Amateur
Round Three Conducted Wednesday at Firethorn Golf Club
LINCOLN (July 27, 2022) – Creighton golfer Shaun Campbell extended his lead at the 114th Nebraska Amateur Championship and is still the only player under-par after the third round at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln on Wednesday.
Campbell, a junior on the Bluejay golf team from Tauranga, New Zealand, entered the round with a three-stroke lead and after a shaky start, he proceeded to methodically extend his lead throughout the day. He posted a second-straight 68 (-3) and now his lead is six strokes, at 207 (-6), heading into tomorrow's final round.
It was a scary start to the final round for Campbell, who hit two provisional balls on the first tee, after his first tee shot went right and his second left, both in tall, native grass. However, he found his original ball after a search, and managed to make bogey. After that, he played steady golf, avoiding any other mistakes and making four birdies to rebound back into red figures for the day.
Campbell regained the stroke he lost on No. 1 with a birdie on No. 3, then closed out the front nine with six-straight pars to make the turn in 36 (E). With a few players ahead of him going deep in red numbers and closing in on his lead, Campbell made his move.
He birdied No. 11 and then rolling in another long birdie on No. 14 to get to 5-under total. In just a few holes, his lead had gone from just one stroke to five, and he was the only player under-par. A final birdie dropped on No. 16 for Campbell, and he closed out the round with two pars to push his lead to six strokes.
Four players are tied for second at 213 (E), six strokes behind Campbell. That group includes two players who made the biggest moves, matching Campbell's low round of the day, 68 (-3), Luke Gutschewski of Elkhorn and Johnny Spellerberg of Bennington. The two played alongside each other and Gutschewski was the first to make a run, birdieing the first three holes and adding two more to start the back nine to move to 5-under through 11 holes, and within a stroke of the lead at 2-under.
Spellerberg's run came much later, as he dropped four birdies on the back nine, including a putt from over 60 feet on No. 12. The reigning Nebraska Match Play Champion, and Creighton Alum, is in the final pairing with Campbell and looking for a comeback for a major sweep. Gutschewski, a two-time NGA Champion, made two late bogeys to fall back to even-par.
Omaha's Charlie Zielinski and Fordyce's Matthew Schaefer are also tied for second, after both players shot rounds of 70 (-1). Zielinski was the closest to challenging the lead, moving to 3-under after a birdie on No. 14, but he followed with a bogey on No. 15 and a double-bogey on No. 16.
Another talented group is tied for sixth, seven strokes back, at 214 (+1), including two past champions. Elkhorn's Ryan Nietfeldt, the 2002 Champion, and Omaha's Andy Sajevic, a four-time champion, played together and also both shot 70 (-1). They are joined by Elkhorn's Alex Farrell and Lincoln's Thomas Bryson, who played together and both shot 72 (+1).
Aurora's Caleb Badura rounds out the Top 10 at 215 (+2). The 2019 Nebraska Match Play Champion carded a 70 (-1).
Pairings for the final round are available on the championship website, along with the scoring page and additional information.
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.
