Csipkes Completes Senior Sweep with Senior Match Play Title
Semifinals and Final Conducted Thursday at Wild Horse Golf Club
GOTHENBURG (September 22, 2022) - Gretna's Brian Csipkes completed just the second senior sweep on Thursday, winning the 12th Nebraska Senior Match Play Championship at Wild Horse Golf Club in Gothenburg.
Csipkes won the Nebraska Senior Amateur earlier this year, and defeated Omaha's Jay Muller in the Final, 1 up, to secure his first Nebraska Senior Match Play title. In his first full year on the senior circuit, he joins Mike Krumland of Columbus (2014) as the only players to win both titles in the same year.
It was not an easy path for Csipkes, who was lost four of the first six holes in his first match, eventually winning 1 up. Then he faced the 2019 Champion, Ed Wyatt of Lincoln, and was assessed a loss-of-hole penalty for being late to the tee. Csipkes was unfazed, won the next four holes and took the match, 2 and 1.
On Thursday, Csipkes faced another tough opponent and the defending champion, John Sajevic of Fremont, in the Semifinals. He took an early lead on the No. 1 seed and cruised to win, 4 and 3.
Muller survived a hard-fought battle in his semifinal match, outlasting Lincoln's Jayson Brueggemann to win 1 up. The win was Muller's 19th in the Nebraska Senior Match Play, breaking Krumland's record, and sent him to his record-tying fourth Final, tied with Krumland.
The Final was a tight, back-and-fourth match, with neither player taking more than a one hole lead. Csipkes struck first with a par on No. 2 to go 1 up, but Muller answered with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 4 and 5 to take his first lead. Csipkes countered with his first birdie on No. 7, but Muller again responded with his second birdie-2 of the match on No. 9.
Muller took the lead into the back nine, but Csipkes quickly responded, making his own birdie-2 on No. 11. He added another birdie on No. 14, after Muller had won No. 13 with a par to regain his lead.
Csipkes made a great par save from the back bunker on No. 15 to tie the hole, and both players had a chance to win No. 16, but missed short putts. So they went to No. 17 still tied, and both players hit their second shots on the par-5 up near the green. Csipkes putted close from off the green short, while Muller hit from the bunker and also had a good birdie look. Muller three-putted after running his first putt by, and conceded the hole to Csipkes.
On No. 18, Csipkes found the green with his approach, while Muller went in the greenside bunker and missed the green with his bunker shot. Csipkes nestled his birdie putt close, and Muller conceded the match.
The two titles this year are the first two for Csipkes, while Muller also finished runner-up for a record-breaking third time.
Five other flight winners were crowned on Thursday. In the Championship Division, Omaha's Kevin Sullivan defeated Omaha's Ryan Knispel, 5 and 4, to win the Astleford Bracket. Cozad's Smokey Cornelius won, 3 and 1, over Omaha's Steve Mikkelsen to take the Reynold's Bracket. Omaha's Tony Caputo took the Parker Bracket in 19 holes over Bellevue's Joe Skoff.
In the Tournament Division, North Platte's Steve Thomalla won the President's Bracket Final, 4 and 3, over Waterloo's Charlie Wurtz. Kearney's Don Clark defeated Charlie Callison of Bellevue, 5 and 4, to win the Director's Bracket.
The final brackets are available on the championship website below, along with the scoring page and additional information.
Nebraska Senior Match Play 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.
