Csipkes is No. 1 Seed at Nebraska Senior Match Play
Stroke Play Qualifying Conducted Wednesday at Oakland Golf Club
OAKLAND (September 18, 2024) - Two-time defending champion Brian Csipkes of Gretna earned the No. 1 seed after Stroke Play Qualifying for the 14th Nebraska Senior Match Play Championship at Oakland Golf Club on Wednesday.
Csipkes fired a round of 70 (-2) to earn medalist honors and the No. 1 seed in his bid for a three-peat. He won the title in 2022 and 2023, but this is his first time as the top seed in the bracket.
It was a smooth round with four birdies and two bogeys for Csipkes, who is trying to become the first player to win three-straight titles. He'll play Omaha's Gregg Vonnahme in the Round of 16 on Thursday morning.
Vonnahme earned the No. 16 seed through a playoff. Six players tied at 77 (+5) and a playoff was needed to determine the last five spots in the bracket. Lincoln's Steve Peterson, an Oakland native, Omaha's Kirby Smith, Yutan's Randy Christiansen and Plainview's Tim Knaak all made par on the first playoff hole to advance. Vonnahme and Omaha's Rob Mullin both made bogeys, and Vonnahme took the final spot with a par on the next hole.
Bennington's Steve Buroker was the only other player to match par, firing a 72 (E), and he'll be the No. 2 seed, playing Knaak.
All five past champions who competed on Wednesday advanced to the Championship Bracket, including Csipkes and Smith, the 2020 Champion. The 2019 Champion Ed Wyatt of Lincoln and the 2018 Champion Matt Haynes of Bellevue played together and both shot rounds of 73 (+1), as did Omaha's Ryan Knispel. Wyatt is the No. 3 seed, Knispel is the No. 4 and Haynes the No. 5 seed.
Four-time Champion Mike Krumland of Columbus shot 76 (+4) and is the No. 7 seed, playing Oakland's own Nathan Anderson in the Round of 16.
The next 16 players in the Championship Division were seeded into the President's Bracket, while two brackets of eight were seeded in the Tournament Division.
Match play begins on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. The brackets and pairings 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.
