Malleck Makes History to Win 116th Nebraska Amateur
Final Round Conducted on Friday at Fremont Golf Club
FREMONT (July 19, 2024) – York's Reed Malleck capped off a historic week to win the 116th Nebraska Amateur Championship on Friday at Fremont Golf Club.
Malleck shot a Final Round 69 (-2) to win by one stroke over his Husker teammate Hamish Murray, finishing with a 273 (-11) total. It's Malleck's first Nebraska Amateur title, and he is the fifth player with four rounds in the 60s, having shot 68 (-3) each of the first three rounds.
It was another perfect day at Fremont Golf Club, but storms rolled in late during the round, and rain fell over the last four holes. Play was suspended briefly, but the last three groups finished after a 10-minute delay.
Malleck and Murray went back-and-forth during the Final Round. It was Malleck who made the first move, making birdie on the par-3 fourth to take the lead at 10-under. After a bogey on No. 6, he bounced back with a birdie on the short par-4 seventh to get back into the lead.
The battle continued though, as Murray birdied No. 9 after eight straight pars to match the lead. He hit the flagstick with his tee shot on the par-3 10th, but the ball spun back too far and he made par.
Malleck took charge with a chip-in birdie on No. 12, and followed with a birdie on No. 13. Murray made bogey on the par-5 13th, and the lead grew to three strokes. However, Malleck hit it in the penalty area on No. 14 and made double-bogey, dropping his lead to just one stroke.
The brief suspension happened on the par-5 15th, after which Murray rolled in a birdie putt to tie the lead. Malleck still wasn't fazed though, and dropped in a tricky downhill birdie putt on No. 16 to take the lead back for good.
The rain started to fall again on the 18th hole, and Murray had a birdie putt to tie the lead. It slid by though, and Malleck two-putted for par to secure the win.
Malleck joins Dean Wilson Jr. in 1960, Mike Klein of Scottsbluff in 1975, Steve Friesen of Lincoln in 1998 and Brandon Crick of McCook in 2009, as the only players to shoot four rounds in the 60s. He adds the Nebraska Amateur title to his win at the 2020 Nebraska Junior Match Play.
Murray finished runner-up with a 274 (-10) total, while his other Husker teammate Evan McDermott finished third at 277 (-7).
Ashland's Coltrane Mittag finished fourth and earned Low Junior honors with a 278 (-6) total. His final round 70 (-1) capped off four-straight rounds under-par, joining Malleck and Murray as the only players in the field to do so.
Grant Jabenis of Omaha, another Husker golfer, finished fifth at 279 (-5) with a final round 68 (-3). Omaha's Luke Gutschewski was sixth at 280 (-4), and Calvin Freeman of Table Rock and Jon Oswalt of Omaha tied for seventh at 281 (-3).
Gavin Gerch and David Easley of Lincoln, the 2021 Champion, rounded out the top 10 in a tie for ninth at 282 (-2). Gerch played the best over the last two rounds, following his third round 66 (-5) with a final round 70 (-1) for a 6-under weekend.
Two legends finished in a tie for 18th at 287 (+3). Fremont's John Sajevic likely played in his last Nebraska Amateur and added to his record resume. After extending his record with a 38th made cut, he earned his 35th top 25 finish, seven more than the next closest player.
Elkhorn's Ryan Nietfeldt, the 2002 Champion, tied Sajevic at 3-over. He pushed his totals to 21 made cuts and 18 top 25 finishes.
Final results are available on the championship website, along with additional information.
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.
