Sajevic Advances to U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst
OMAHA (July, 2019) – It’ll be a college homecoming for Andy Sajevic of Omaha. The North Carolina alum qualified for the 2019 U.S. Amateur Championship today after defeating 2019 Nebraska Amateur Champion Alex Schaake of Omaha in a playoff at Shadow Ridge Country Club.
The 38-man field for Sectional Qualifying played 36 holes to decide one qualifier and two alternates for the 119th U.S. Amateur Championship to be held at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina next month.
Schaake and Sajevic were the two at the top of the leaderboard all day. They each opened their days with 3-under 69s in the morning round, with Schaake making four birdies on the back nine, including one on the 16th hole to get to 3-under. Sajevic was more measured, making two birdies on the front nine and tacking on three more on the back to shoot his 69.
In the afternoon, Sajevic got rolling quickly, birdieing holes No. 5, 6, and 7, with one bogey to shoot 34 (-2) on the front nine. Clutch par saves on holes No. 17 and 18 kept him at 5-under. Schaake, meanwhile, was unable to convert a birdie putt on the ninth hole that would have moved him to 6-under, and a playoff with Sajevic ensued. Both players shot the same scores each round to finish in a tie at 139 (-5).
On the first playoff hole, both players hit iron off the tee and had approach shots from about 100 yards out. They each had long birdie putts, and neither player was able to convert. Sajevic made his par putt, but Schaake’s putt lipped out, sending Sajevic to another U.S. Amateur. He last played in the U.S. Amateur in 2016, when he missed the cut for match play.
In the playoff for second alternate, Tanner Owen of Parkville, Missouri faced Bryce Hammer of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Owen won the playoff after shooting rounds of (+2) 74 and (-2) 70, and Hammer shot (+1) 73 and (-1) 72.
Full results and more are available on the NGA website at the button below.
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.
About the USGA
The USGA celebrates, serves and advances the game of golf. Founded in 1894, we conduct many of golf's premier professional and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open. With The R&A, we govern the sport via a global set of playing, equipment and amateur status rules. Our operating jurisdiction for these governance functions is the United States, its territories and Mexico. The USGA Handicap System is utilized in more than 40 countries and our Course Rating System covers 95 percent of the world's golf courses, enabling all golfers to play on an equitable basis. The USGA campus in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, is home to the Association's Research and Test Center, where science and innovation are fueling a healthy and sustainable game for the future. The campus is also home to the USGA Golf Museum, where we honor the game by curating the world's most comprehensive archive of golf artifacts. To learn more, visit usga.org.
