Gutschewski Wins Both Nebraska Amateur and Junior Golfer of the Year Awards
Florida Commit Joins John Hurley as Only Players to Win Both Awards
OMAHA (November 15, 2024) - The Nebraska Golf Association is proud to announce the selection of Elkhorn's Trevor Gutschewski as the 2024 Nebraska Junior Amateur Golfer of the Year and the 2024 Nebraska Amateur Golfer of the Year.
Gutschewski, a senior at Omaha Westside, had a historic season and is just the second player to win both the junior and men's awards. He joins O'Neill's John Hurley, who won both awards in 2005.
Even without his most significant accomplishment, it was an incredible year for Gutschewski, who won the men's points race, and ran away with the junior points race, setting an all-time mark. It's also a repeat selection as the Junior Golfer of the Year, for which he joins 10 others who have won multiple awards. Gutschewski, the son of PGA Tour Player Scott Gutschewski, also joins his brother Luke, who won both awards (Junior in 2020 and Amateur in 2022).
Gutschewski, who is committed to play golf at the University of Florida, made history in July, becoming the first Nebraskan to win the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. His win at Oakland Hills Country Club in Michigan for the 76th U.S. Junior Amateur title also made him just the second Nebraskan to win a USGA title, joining Omaha's Johnny Goodman, who won the 1937 U.S. Amateur and the 1933 U.S. Open, the last amateur to do so.
After earning the No. 33 seed in the bracket through Stroke Play Qualifying, Gutschewski survived a 23-hole match in the Round of 64. His reward was a matchup against the No. 1 seed Blades Brown of Tennessee. Gutschewski pulled off the upset though, jumping out to a lead and never trailing for a 2-and-1 win.
Gutschewski kept cruising on, despite being No. 3,570 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, by far the lowest ranked player amongst the Quarterfinalists. It culminated with a matchup against the No. 2 seed, Tyler Watts of Alabama, in the 36-hole Final. Watts held a 1-up lead after the first 18, but Gutschewski played nearly flawless golf after the resumption of the match. He made four birdies and no bogeys over the next 15 holes to win the match, 4 and 3.
Within the state, Gutschewski also picked up his second NebGolf title. The 2022 Nebraska Junior Amateur Champion added the 35th Nebraska Junior Match Play title to his trophy shelf. After two runner-up finishes in June, Gutschewski went on a tear to win the title at Norfolk Country Club. He opened with likely the lowest stroke play qualifying round in the championship's history, a 64 (-8) to take medalist honors and the No. 1 seed by four strokes.
The run through the bracket was just as special, with Gutschewski picking up wins of 3 and 2, 7 and 6 and 4 and 2 to get to the Semifinals. He faced Westside teammate and the 2022 Champion Jackson Benge of Omaha, and cruised to another win, 5 and 4. The Championship Final against Omaha's Tommy Kelley was the first match to reach the 17th and 18th holes for Gutschewski, who won No. 17 and matched Kelley's birdie on No. 18 to secure the 1-up win for the title.
A month earlier, Gutschewski had fallen a stroke short of the 57th Nebraska Junior Amateur title at Awarii Dunes Golf Club in Axtell. Gretna's Beau Petersen (-3) rolled in a birdie putt on the final hole to win a stroke over Gutschewski (-2) for the second-straight year. They were the only two players under par, and Gutschewski finished four strokes ahead of third.
None of those performances counted towards Gutschewski's Amateur Golfer of the Year award though, which does not factor in junior competitions. Instead, his success on the men's circuit was plenty to get him the award.
That included another battle with Petersen at the 57th Nebraska Match Play, just a couple weeks after the Nebraska Junior Amateur. The two junior golfers put on a show on their way to the youngest Final in championship history, with both Gutschewski (17) and Petersen (18) looking to become the youngest champion. Gutschewski once again didn't need the last two holes in any match on the way to the Final, including big wins over future opponents Kelley and Benge.
The 36-hole Final was the best golf of the week though, as Petersen shot 64 (-8) and Gutschewski shot 67 (-5) during the first 18 holes. Petersen led, 3 up, and quickly built his lead during the second 18, eventually closing out the match with a 6-and-5 win.
Gutschewski looked like he'd add another title in July, as he shot rounds of 65 (-6) and 69 (-2) to hold the 36-hole lead at the 116th Nebraska Amateur at Fremont Golf Club. However, he fell ill and struggled to keep pace, finishing tied for 12th at 284 (E).
In addition, Gutschewski won the 2024 Indian Creek Invitational by four strokes, earning an exemption into the Korn Ferry Tour's Pinnacle Bank Championship. He finished inside the Top 10 at the prestigious Junior North & South Amateur, and was the Low Amateur at the 2024 Nebraska Open. Gutschewski also was the runner-up at the 2024 NSAA Class A Boys Championship.
Gutschewski will be honored at the Nebraska Golf Association's Celebration of Champions, featuring the Golf Channel's Rich Lerner, on Friday, December 6 at the Embassy Suites in La Vista (Tickets can be purchased here). In addition, NebGolf will recognize its Women’s Amateur Golfer of the Year, Girls’ Amateur Golfer of the Year and Senior Amateur Golfer of the Year.
For more on the award, link below.
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.
