Four Remain at Nebraska Senior Match Play
LINCOLN (September 24, 2019) – Four players are left to play for the title after the first day of matches at the 9th Nebraska Senior Match Play Championship at Hillcrest Country Club on Tuesday.
The No. 1 seed Ed Wyatt of Lincoln is one of those players left, after he rolled through both of his matches. Wyatt, a former professional at Hillcrest Country Club before he regained his amateur status in recent years, played just 28 holes in advancing through the first two rounds. He defeated Brad Bailey of Lincoln in the Round of 16, 5 and 4, before cruising to a 6-and-4 win over Kirby Smith of Omaha in the Quarterfinals.
Wyatt will face Eric Murphy of Papillion, who took down the No. 4 seed Dave Shillinglaw of Bellevue, 3 and 2, in his first match. Murphy, who fell in the Quarterfinal round last year, then defeated the 2016 champion Jay Muller of Omaha, 2 up, to advance to the Semifinals.
It will be Fremont’s John Sajevic against Lincoln’s Michael Peterson in the other semifinal. Sajevic outlasted Lincoln’s Neal Roehrs in the opening round, winning the 17th and 18th holes (Nos. 8 and 9 at Hillcrest CC) of the match to force extra holes. He then closed out the win with a par on the 19th hole (No. 10). The road was a little smoother in the Quarterfinals, as Sajevic made seven birdies in 15 holes to win 4 and 3 over Charlie Burt of Omaha. Sajevic has never won the Nebraska Senior Match Play, despite winning four Nebraska Senior Amateurs and six Nebraska Senior Golfer of the Year awards.
Peterson also had two very different matches, with a big 7-and-5 win over Bellevue’s Tim Diehm in the Round of 16. He then faced fellow Hillcrest member Dale Roehrs in the Quarterfinals, and it looked like he might have another easy win, as he was 4 up through 12 holes. However, Roehrs came roaring back to win four straight holes, including two birdies, to tie the match. Peterson pulled out the 1-up win with a par on No. 18 after Roehrs found some tree trouble. Peterson could win his first NGA title in 36 years. He won back-to-back Nebraska Junior Amateur titles in 1982 and 1983.
Semifinal matches are also set in the other three brackets. In the President’s Bracket, Omaha’s Skip Gist will take on Elkhorn’s David Allen in the first match, and Lincoln’s Brian Boesiger will face Lincoln’s John Fecht in the second semifinal. In the Bob Astleford Bracket, Lincoln’s Bob Roth is set to play Kearney’s Scott Maline, while Lincoln’s Stan Tafoya will play Omaha’s Hap Pocras.
In the Sam Reynolds Net Bracket, North Platte’s Steve Thomalla and Waterloo’s Charlie Wurtz will square up in the first semifinal, while Belden’s Denny Morgan and Ashland’s Vince Takacs face-off in the second semifinal.
The Semifinals begin at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, with the Finals set to follow in the afternoon at 1 p.m. The updated brackets and more are available on the Senior Match Play website at the button below.
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.
