Ringler Separates for Lead at Nebraska Senior Amateur
Round One Conducted Tuesday at The Players Club in Omaha
OMAHA (June 13, 2023) - Lincoln's David Ringler played the only flawless round of the day and leads the 25th Nebraska Senior Amateur Championship after the first round on Tuesday at The Players Club in Omaha.
Ringler posted a career-low round of 67 (-4) to take a significant lead into the final round. He leads by four strokes after a bogey-free round. The 51-year-old competed in the championship for the first time last year, and finished tied for 26th.
After starting his round on No. 10, Ringler rolled in birdies on Nos. 12 and 16 to make the turn in 34 (-2). He opened the front nine with a birdie on No. 1 and added a birdie that circled the hole on No. 5 to get to 4-under. A nice up-and-down on No. 9 saved his low number, and he in the driver's seat for Wednesday's Final Round.
Elkhorn's Jeff Russell also was staring down red numbers for most of the day. His round included five birdies in a nine hole stretch, but he also made five bogeys, including two in his last three holes to fall back to 71 (E). He sits in second, four strokes back of Ringler.
A decorated trio of players are lurking not too far behind. Past champions Brian Csipkes of Gretna, David Clouse of Lincoln and Ed Wyatt of Lincoln all shot rounds of 72 (+1), and are five strokes back at the halfway point. Csipkes, the defending champion, struggled on the greens, but still managed to stay in the mix. Clouse, who is 13 years removed from his title in 2010, made three bogeys and three birdies during his round. Wyatt, the 2020 and 2021 Champion, is looking to become just the second player to win at least three titles.
Csipkes will be in the final group with Ringler and Russell, while Clouse and Wyatt will be a group ahead with another past champion. Four-time Champion John Sajevic of Fremont had moved into red figures after a 35 (-1) on the back nine, his first nine. However, a double-bogey on the par-4 fourth and a bogey on the par-4 sixth dropped him back and he finished with a 73 (+2). He's in sixth place, and will be in the penultimate group.
Several players are tied for seventh at 74 (+3), including one past champion, Mike Krumland of Columbus. It's been six years since Krumland won a NebGolf senior title, the 2017 Nebraska Senior Match Play, which was his sixth total title. Also among the eight players tied at 3-over, is Papillion's Eric Murphy, who fell in a nine-hole playoff to Wyatt in 2020. The 1987 Nebraska Match Play Champion and former Husker golf coach, Bill Spangler of Lincoln, also shot 74 (+3), along with Omaha's Peter Alvestad, Fremont's Eric Sullivan, Omaha's Matt Petersen, Bennington's Steve Buroker and Cozad's Smokey Cornelius.
The leaders will tee off at 2 p.m. on Wednesday with the title on the line. Pairings for the Final Round are available on the championship website below, along with the scoring page and additional information.
Nebraska Senior Amateur 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.
