Haynes Wins Marathon Nebraska Senior Match Play Final
Semifinals and Final Conducted Friday at Oakland Golf Club
OAKLAND (September 20, 2024) - Bellevue's Matt Haynes outlasted Omaha's Kevin Sullivan to win the Final of the 14th Nebraska Senior Match Play Championship on Friday at Oakland Golf Club.
Haynes rolled in a clutch birdie putt on No. 3 at Oakland Golf Club to win the Final in 21 holes over Sullivan. It was the longest Final in Championship history, and just the second to go to extra holes. It also tied the longest match in Nebraska Senior Match Play history.
A second title for Haynes makes him just the third player to win multiple titles, joining Mike Krumland of Columbus, who owns four titles, and Brian Csipkes of Gretna, who won the previous two titles. Haynes won his first title in 2018 at his home club, Platteview Golf Club.
After a long week of matches, Haynes and Sullivan struggled to get going in the Final, but the fireworks started as they made the turn. Haynes had to punch out from next to a tree on No. 9, and after his wedge came up short, he chipped in for par. Sullivan's birdie putt slid by, and they went to the back nine tied.
Both players rolled in birdie putts on the par-3 10th hole, the first birdies of the match. That's when Haynes started to take control of the match though, as he won No. 12 with a par, and rolled in a long range birdie putt on No. 13 to move to 2 up.
The lead grew to 3 up for Haynes, after Sullivan made bogey on the dangerous par-5 14th hole. However, Sullivan buckled down and won the next two holes with pars to cut the lead to 1 up.
Haynes had a chance to win it on the par-5 17th hole, but his birdie putt lipped out and they went on. Sullivan then dropped the first of a series of clutch par putts on the 18th to win the hole and force extra holes.
It looked like it would be all over after the first extra hole, but Sullivan made another clutch putt, this one down the hill from about 15 feet. He needed another par putt to drop on No. 2, and it did, sending the match to the 21st hole.
Sullivan's approach shot on the par-4 third hole rolled off the back of the green in a tough spot. He hit a perfect chip though, and the ball was tracking right for the hole, but hit the flagstick and settled a few inches outside of the hole.
Haynes finally slammed the door shut, rolling in a 15-foot birdie putt with an emphatic yell to punctuate the win.
Earlier in the day, Haynes had his revenge against Csipkes in their rematch of last year's Semifinals. Csipkes won last year by a 6-and-5 margin, but Haynes jumped out to a 2-up lead and never relinquished. Haynes birdied No. 14 and won No. 15 to go 3 up, and eventually closed out the match, 2 and 1.
Sullivan earned his spot in the Final by taking out the hometown favorite, Nathan Anderson of Oakland. Anderson held a 1-up lead heading into the back nine, but Sullivan made birdies on Nos. 11 and 15, winning four of the first six holes on the side to take the lead. He closed out the match on No. 16, 3 and 2.
There were also Finals in three other brackets, including the President's Bracket, where Gothenburg's Jeff Holsten defeated Omaha's Jeff Gonka, 4 and 3. In the Tournament Division, Omaha's Brett Lundin won the Astleford Bracket over Valley's Charlie Doeden, 1 up. Omaha's Todd Stover took the Reynolds Bracket over Gretna's Kevin Cuvelier, 4 and 3.
The final brackets are available on the championship website below, along with additional information.
Nebraska Senior Match Play Championship
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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.
