Freeman Cruises to No. 1 Seed at Nebraska Match Play
Round Two of Stroke Play Qualifying Conducted Tuesday at Beatrice Country Club
BEATRICE (June 27, 2023) – Table Rock's Calvin Freeman ran away with medalist honors and the No. 1 seed during Round Two of Stroke Play Qualifying at the 56th Nebraska Match Play Championship at Beatrice Country Club on Tuesday.
Freeman bested the field by four strokes, firing a 69 (-3) on Tuesday and finishing with a 135 (-9) total. The former Husker and current head men's golf coach at Southeast Community College in Beatrice started slow, but heated up late to take the top seed. He was 2-over through eight holes, but made an eagle on the par-5 ninth to get back to even-par for the day, and 6-under total.
On the back nine, Freeman made four more birdies, including on the closing two holes to close out his 3-under round. Freeman's 9-under total is the second-lowest in championship history, since Stroke Play Qualifying was expanded to 36 holes in 2015. Only Lincoln's Nate Vontz had a lower total, 13-under, in 2021 at Wild Horse Golf Club in Gothenburg. Freeman will be the No. 1 seed and will take on Omaha's Rex Soulliere.
Soulliere was the last player to advance through a 10-for-7 playoff to take the No. 32 seed. The playoff decided the last spots in the bracket, with 35 players finishing at 148 (+4) or better. The 4-over cut line is also the lowest since qualifying expanded to 36 holes.
Six players earned spots on the first playoff hole (No. 10), with Papillion's Drew D'Ercole and Lincoln's Justin Webert making the only birdies, earning the Nos. 26 and 27 seeds, respectively. Omaha's Kevin Sullivan, Gretna's Brian Csipkes, Omaha's Jackson Benge, and Doniphan's Ethan Smith all made pars to earn their spots as well. Soulliere and Lincoln's Kean Kontor both made birdie on the second playoff hole (No. 16) to advance. Soulliere then made it through by toeing his putter from an awkward lie just short of the 17th green, rolling his ball into the hole for a birdie and the last spot.
The 2003 Champion Ryan Nietfeldt of Elkhorn is the No. 2 seed after a red-hot round of 67 (-5). Nietfeldt finished four strokes behind Freeman with a 139 (-5) total. He's looking for a record-tying 11th NebGolf title and a second Nebraska Match Play title, 20 years after his first. He'll play Smith in the Round of 32.
Another veteran finished a stroke behind Nietfeldt in a tie for third at 140 (-4). David Easley of Lincoln was one of three players to break bar both round, including a 71 (-1) on Tuesday. The 2021 Nebraska Amateur Champion finished in a tie with La Vista's Alex Zillig, who shot 69 (-3) to also break par both days. Zillig is the No. 3 seed, Easley the No. 4 seed.
The defending champion and runner-up from last year's championship finished in a tie for fifth at 141 (-3). Johnny Spellerberg of Bennington posted a 75 (+3), while Reed Malleck of York shot 73 (+1) to finish at 3-under. Spellerberg will play Webert, while Malleck takes on Sullivan.
Two past champions tied for seventh at 142 (-2) and earn the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds. The 2020 Champion, Luke Kluver of Norfolk had one of the rounds of the day, bouncing back with a 68 (-4) to get himself securely in the bracket. Travis Minzel of Lincoln, the 2004 Champion, recorded an even-par round of 72. Kluver will face Lincoln's Miles Elgert, while Minzel plays D'Ercole.
Wednesday's Round of 32 begins at 7:30 a.m. with the Round of 16 to follow in the afternoon at 2 p.m. The bracket is now available on the championship website below, along with full qualifying results.
Nebraska 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.
