Csipkes Breaks Par to Lead Nebraska Senior Amateur
Round One Conducted Wednesday at Champions Run in Omaha
OMAHA (June 29, 2022) - Gretna's Brian Csipkes was the lone player to break par during Wednesday's first round and leads the 24th Nebraska Senior Amateur Championship at Champions Run in Omaha.
Csipkes turned 50 last year, and is competing in just his second senior championship. On a windy and hot day, Csipkes bested the field with a stellar round of 71 (-1) to take the lead at the halfway point by one stroke. He's now 18 holes away from his first NGA title.
Scoring conditions were difficult, but Csipkes played a steady round, making three birdies and just two bogeys, while many players in the field found big numbers. He started on the back nine, the more difficult nine at Champions Run, and made the turn in 36 (E). Birdies on both par 5s on the front, Nos. 2 and 6, moved him to 2-under. A bogey on No. 7 dropped him back to 1-under, but he was the only one to finish in red figures.
Bennington's Steve Buroker was the closest competitor to Csipkes. He fired an even-par 72, and sits in solo-second place, one stroke back. Buroker also started on the back nine and made the turn in 37 (+1). He added two more birdies on the front nine to shoot 35 (-1). A late birdie on No. 7 moved him in behind Csipkes.
Patrick Duffy of Omaha, playing in his first senior championship, is in third, three strokes back. Duffy, the 2006 Nebraska Match Play Champion and a three-time Nebraska Mid-Amateur Champion, actually played better on the more-difficult back nine, making the turn in 35 (-1). He held the lead at one point, but three bogeys on the front nine dropped him to a 74 (+2). Duffy will join Csipkes and Buroker in the final group for Thursday's final round at 10 a.m.
After the top three, there's a logjam at 75 (+3), with five players tied for fourth. That group includes four-time champion John Sajevic of Fremont and the two-time defending champion Ed Wyatt of Lincoln. They are joined by Bennington's Kevin Kusleika, Omaha's Charlie Burt and Omaha's Ryan Knispel.
Rounding out the Top 10 is a tie for ninth at 76 (+4), including the 2020 Nebraska Senior Match Play Champion Kirby Smith of Omaha, along with Craig Bakke of La Vista and Dave Greenwood of Valley.
Pairings for the final round are available on the championship website below, along with the scoring page and additional information.
Nebraska Senior Amateur Championship
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.
