Easley Comes Up Clutch to Win 26th Nebraska Mid-Amateur
Final Round Conducted Sunday at Platteview Golf Club
BELLEVUE (August 25, 2024) - David Easley of Lincoln made some clutch putts down the stretch and won the 26th Nebraska Mid-Amateur Championship in a playoff on Sunday at Platteview Golf Club in Bellevue.
Easley and Aaron Stockton of Papillion both shot their second-straight rounds of 70 (-2) to finish in a tie at 140 (-4), resulting in a playoff for the title. Easley made par on the first playoff hole to secure the title, his second individual NebGolf title and fifth overall.
It was an up-and-down start for Easley, who made zero bogeys during his first round 70 (-2). The 2021 Nebraska Amateur Champion birdied the first hole, but followed with two bogeys on the front nine, making the turn in 36 (E). Another bogey on No. 10 left him on the outside looking in, but a clutch finish was looming.
Easley birdied No. 13, and after watching Stockton roll in a birdie from a difficult spot on the fringe on No. 15 to get to 5-under, he dropped his own downhill birdie putt to get to 3-under. Stockton then three-putted the par-3 17th for bogey to drop to 4-under, giving Easley a chance.
Both players had birdie putts on the finishing par-4 18th hole, and Easley curled his in to get to 4-under. Stockton had a similar putt, but his lipped out and a playoff was set.
The playoff went back to the 18th hole, and Stockton missed the green left, while Easley hit his short approach to about the same spot as he made the tying birdie putt earlier. Easley rolled his birdie putt to tap-in range, while Stockton chipped to about eight feet. The par putt to extend the playoff rolled by the low side and Easley had clinched the title.
A pair of players finished tied for third at 141 (-3) and both had chances to get into the playoff. Bennington's William Amundsen nearly dropped a long birdie putt on No. 18, but his final round 70 (-2) left him a stroke out of the playoff. Omaha's Jon Oswalt knocked in a birdie on No. 16 to get to 4-under, but bogeyed No. 17 and couldn't make birdie on No. 18 to leave him outside of the playoff as well.
Omaha's Jake Anderson had the round of the day, as the only player to shoot in the 60s. He shot a 68 (-4) to finish tied for fifth at 143 (-1), along with Omaha's Dylan Heng, Elkhorn's Daniel Huston and Elkhorn's Alex Farrell.
Omaha's Vance Janssen shot a 71 (-1) to finished ninth at 144 (E), while Mike Siwa of Omaha rounded out the top 10 at 145 (+1).
Full results are available on the championship website below, along with additional information.
Nebraska Mid-Amateur 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.
