Christiansen, Haynes and Muller are Medalists at Senior Match Play
Stroke Play Qualifying Conducted Tuesday at The Pines Country Club
VALLEY (September 26, 2023) - Stroke Play Qualifying for the 13th Nebraska Senior Match Play Championship was conducted on Tuesday at The Pines Country Club in Valley and a trio of golfers tied for medalist honors.
Randy Christiansen of Yutan, Matt Haynes of Bellevue and Jay Muller of Omaha all shot rounds of 70 (-2) and were the only players to break par on an ideal qualifying day. After a blind draw, Haynes was awarded the No. 1 seed, Muller the No. 2 seed and Christiansen the No. 3 seed.
Muller, the 2016 Champion, jumped out to the early lead, getting to 3-under through his first eight, and turning in 34 (-2). He made one birdie and one bogey on the back nine, for a 36 (E) and his 2-under round. Muller is coming off a runner-up finish last year, his record third at the championship, to go along with his win.
Christiansen and Haynes both played flawless, bogey-free rounds to match Muller's lead. Haynes, the 2018 Champion, made 12-straight pars to start his round, before throwing in birdies on No. 13 and 18 to get to 2-under. Christiansen, who recently joined the golf team at Bellevue University, had a similar round, starting his with 10-straight pars, before birdies on Nos. 11 and 16 to join the fun in red figures.
A playoff was necessary to fill the championship bracket, with four players tying for 15th at 76 (+4). Lincoln's David Ringler, Omaha's Kevin Sullivan, Elkhorn's Steven Ritzman and Valley's Dave Greenwood started the playoff, vying for the final two spots. Ringler, the 2023 Nebraska Senior Amateur Champion, sealed his spot first, making a birdie on the first playoff hole (No. 10 at The Pines) to take the No. 15 seed. Ritzman was eliminated after the first hole, and Sullivan made par on the second playoff hole (No. 15) to earn the No. 16 seed over Greenwood.
Haynes will take on Sullivan in the Round of 16 on Wednesday morning, while Muller will face Ringler. Christiansen will take on the No. 14 seed, Ryan Knispel of Omaha, who shot a round of 75 (+3).
Three other past champions advanced to the championship bracket, including the defending champion, Brian Csipkes of Gretna. Csipkes, the 2022 Nebraska Senior Amateur Golfer of the Year, fired a 72 (E) and is back to defend his title as the No. 4 seed. He'll square up against Elkhorn's Jeff Russell, the No. 13 seed.
The 2021 Champion, John Sajevic of Fremont, will take on fellow Fremont resident, Stan Darling. Sajevic is the No. 10 seed after a 74 (+2), while Darling shot 73 (+1) to get the No. 7 seed.
Chris Mangan of Omaha won his Nebraska Senior Match Play title 10 years ago at The Pines Country Club, and is back in the bracket as the No. 12 seed. Mangan carded a 74 (+2) and will take on Lincoln's Jayson Brueggemann, the 2008 Nebraska Amateur Champion.
In the other matchups, No. 8 Rob Mullin of Elkhorn will face No. 9 Tim Knaak of Plainview, and No. 6 Steve Buroker of Bennington will take on No. 11 Eric Murphy of Papillion.
The rest of Championship Division was seeded into additional brackets based on score, and the Tournament Division was as well. Match play begins Wednesday morning at 8 a.m.
The brackets are available on the championship website below, along with full qualifying results and additional information.
Nebraska Senior 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.
