Tucker Finishes Off Run for Nebraska Junior Match Play Title
WAYNE (June 22, 2023) - Lincoln's Owen Tucker completed an incredible run on Thursday at Wayne Country Club to win the 34th Nebraska Junior Match Play Championship.
Tucker defeated the 2022 Nebraska Junior Golfer of the Year, Thomas Bryson of Lincoln, in the Final, 2 and 1. Tucker and Bryson are teammates at Lincoln Southeast and both are in the class of 2025. Bryson finished runner-up last year as well, on his way to being recognized as the top junior golfer in the state.
After defeating the defending champion, Jackson Benge of Omaha, and the NSAA Class A Champion, Porter Topp of Omaha, yesterday, Tucker set his sights on Bryson in the Final. It was a close match, as neither player led by more than one hole until Tucker closed out the match on No. 17.
Tucker struck first against his childhood friend, making birdie on the par-5 second hole to take the first lead of the match. Bryson tied the match on the next hole with a par, and then took his first lead with a birdie on the par-4 seventh hole. Tucker answered with a win on No. 8, but Bryson played a great recovery shot from the left trees on the par-5 ninth, and pitched close for a birdie and a 1-up lead heading to the back nine.
The grind continued on the back nine, as both players drove it just short of the par-4 10th green, and converted up-and-downs for birdie. That started a stretch of five-straight tied holes, including on the par-5 13th hole, where Tucker drained a long birdie putt and Bryson made a short putt to tie the hole.
Bryson still led, 1 up, with four holes to play, but that's when Tucker made his move. He wedged it close on No. 15, and won the hole with a par, before reaching the par-5 16th hole in two and two-putting for a birdie and a 1-up lead. It was the first time in the match someone had won two holes in-a-row, and Tucker's first lead since No. 2.
With a chance to put the match away, Tucker hit a perfect tee shot on the 190-yard, par-3 17th to about five feet. After Bryson missed his birdie putt, Tucker rolled his into the back of the cup for his sixth birdie of the day, and the 2-and-1 win.
It's the first NebGolf title for Tucker, and a second-straight runner-up finish at the Nebraska Junior Match Play for Bryson.
The updated brackets are available under the Scoring tab of the championship websites below, along with additional information.
Nebraska Girls' Match Play Championship
Nebraska Junior 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.
