Easley Starts Defense with Lead at Nebraska Amateur
Round One Conducted Monday at Firethorn Golf Club
LINCOLN (July 25, 2022) – It was a picture-perfect start to Lincoln's David Easley's title defense, and he sits in the lead after the first round of the 114th Nebraska Amateur Championship at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln on Monday.
The rain was lighter than forecasted, but periods of light rain were frequent throughout the day. Temperatures were unusually cool, staying in the 60s mostly, with light winds as well. Scoring conditions were ideal, but only three players broke par, led by Easley with a 67 (-4).
Easley, the 2021 Champion, played a flawless round at his home club, making two birdies and an eagle, with no bogeys. It was an interesting round, nonetheless, as he caught fire early. Easley birdied No. 2 and then chipped in for an eagle on the par-5 third hole. Another birdie chip lipped out on No. 5, but a par chip on No. 10 fell for the defending champion.
A final birdie on the par-4 15th hole moved Easley to 4-under, where he finished with the lead, one-stroke ahead of the next competitor.
Omaha's Charlie Zielinski is in second after a round of 68 (-3). The Creighton Bluejay had quite a different round, making five birdies and two bogeys. He was even-par at the turn, after starting on the back nine, but took off on the front nine with four birdies to come in with a 33 (-3). Zielinski qualified for the 2022 U.S. Amateur last week at Beatrice Country Club, but is looking for his first NGA title.
The only other player to break par was Aurora's Caleb Badura. The 2019 Nebraska Match Play Champion had a shaky start, but torched the back nine to jump into third with a 69 (-2). Badura, who finished runner-up at the 2019 Nebraska Amateur as well, made double-bogey on the par-3 fourth hole, but bounced-back with five-straight pars to make the turn in 38 (+2). With the conditions benign and the rain holding off until the end of his round, Badura took off with four birdies on his last six holes to shoot 31 (-4) on the back nine and join Easley and Zielinski in red figures.
Omaha's Shaun Campbell and Bennington's Dan Huston are tied for fourth with rounds of 71 (E). Campbell was challenging the lead with his five-birdie round, but a triple-bogey on No. 7 dropped him back. Huston played a steady round with two birdies and two bogeys.
Several players are tied for sixth, rounding out the Top 10, including the 2022 Nebraska Match Play Champion, Johnny Spellerberg of Bennington. Spellerberg and six others are five strokes back at 72 (+1). That group also includes the 2022 Nebraska Senior Amateur Champion, Brian Csipkes of Gretna, the 2002 Nebraska Amateur Champion, Ryan Nietfeldt of Elkhorn, as well as Norfolk's Lance Lawson, Lincoln's Garrett Svoboda, Table Rock's Calvin Freeman and former Husker, now Creighton golfer, Tristan Nelko.
Groupings and starting times for the second round are available on the championship website, along with the scoring page and additional information.
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.
