Schaefer, Zielinski tied again for 54-hole Lead at 115th Nebraska Amateur
Second and Third Rounds Completed Saturday at Scotts Bluff Country Club
SCOTTSBLUFF (July 22, 2023) - The 115th Nebraska Amateur Championship is back on schedule after a perfect Saturday at Scotts Bluff Country Club, and Fordyce's Matthew Schaefer and Omaha's Charlie Zielinski are tied once again, this time for the 54-hole lead, after the third round.
Saturday was the first day without a delay of any kind, and the second round was completed before 11 a.m. The third round followed in the afternoon, and Schaefer and Zielinski shot the same score for the third-straight round, 72 (E). They are tied at 207 (-9), with a handful of contenders within striking distance.
Zielinski charged into the lead early and built it up throughout the front nine. The Creighton golfer birdied three of the first four holes to jump ahead, and added another on No. 9 to turn in 32 (-4) and push his lead to three strokes.
The entire final group, Schaefer, Zielinski and Omaha's Andy Sajevic, made birdie on the first hole, but Zielinski separated himself after that. Schaefer made double-bogey on the par-3 third hole, and eventually made the turn in 38 (+2), to fall six strokes behind Zielinski. Sajevic tried to stay within reach, playing the front nine in 35 (-1) to get to 7-under.
Calvin Freeman of Table Rock, the reigning Nebraska Match Play Champion, was the closest to Zielinski after finishing birdie-birdie on the front to turn in 33 (-3) and get to 9-under. Ralston's Peyton Koch also made a run, playing his first 11 holes in 3-under to get to 8-under.
Zielinski slid on the back nine though, making four bogeys, including on Nos. 17 and 18. Schaefer made up all six strokes he was behind at the turn, making three birdies and a bogey for a back nine 34 (-2). He birdied the par-3 17th and then saved par from the trees to tie Zielinski for the lead at 9-under.
Sajevic had a chance to tie the lead as well, after a birdie on No. 16 to get to 9-under, but a bogey on the 18th hole dropped him a stroke back. He finished at 208 (-8) after a round of 70 (-2). The 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2020 Champion is in search of a fifth title, which would move him into solo-fourth all-time, breaking a tie with Omaha's Alex Schaake.
Freeman and Koch are tied for fourth at 210 (-6), with Koch following up his second round 67 (-5) with a third round 71 (-1). Freeman made three bogeys on the back and shot an even-par 72.
The 2022 Nebraska Match Play Champion Johnny Spellerberg of Bennington carded his second-straight round under-par, a 70 (-2), to move into sixth at 212 (-4). He's searching for his first Nebraska Amateur title.
The entire Top 10 is in red figures, with Omaha's Josh Peters in seventh at 213 (-3) and Waterloo's Johnny Spellerberg in eighth at 214 (-2). Husker golfer Reed Malleck of York and Husker assistant golf coach Travis Minzel of Lincoln are tied for ninth at 215 (-1).
The Final Round will start at 7 a.m. on Sunday, with the leaders, Schaefer and Zielinski, set to tee-0ff at 11:16 a.m. Visit the championship website below for full results, pairings and more.
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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.
